468 EGRETTA ALBA. 



In my Manual of British Birds I named the Tyningham 

 Egret Erodius Victoria?, supposing it to be new, or at least 

 of the species called Egretta nigrirostris by Mr. Grey and 

 the Prince of Canino, but of which I could not find a 

 description. This latter name is quite appropriate, however, 

 and until it be determined what species it really is, I think 

 it better to adopt it. 



Egretta nigrirostris is much larger in all its principal 

 dimensions than Egretta alba, which exceeds Egretta Leuce. 

 Length 44^- inches ; extent of wings 66. The bill is long, 

 stout, compressed, tapering, the dorsal line straight for two- 

 thirds, then slightly declinato-convex, deep black, with the 

 tips greenish-grey or horn-colour to the extent of an inch, 

 the base as far as the nostrils verdigris-green, as is also a 

 large bare space on each side of the head, extending from 

 the base of the bill to a little behind the eye and angle of 

 the mouth. The occipital feathers very slightly elongated, 

 being an inch and a half in length. The dorsal plumes 

 have rather firm, though slender, straightish shafts, the 

 longest extending two inches and a half beyond the tail, and 

 sixteen inches in length. The bare part of the tibia and the 

 upper part of the tarsus are flesh-coloured ; the scutella of 

 the tarsi and toes dusky brown ; the hind part of the tarsus 

 and the soles dusky flesh-colour ; the claws brownish-black. 

 The plumage white, with a faint tint of yellowish. 



Egretta alba, which is about 40 inches in length, has the 

 bill long, stout, compressed, tapering, the dorsal line straight 

 for two-thirds from the base, then slightly declinato-convex. 

 A large bare space on each side of the head, extending from 

 the base of the bill to a little behind the eye and angle of 

 the mouth, said by authors to be pale green. Mr. Yarrell 

 says the bill is " yellow at the base, black towards the 

 point." Mr. Gould says it is " deep brown, tinged with 

 yellow about the nostrils." No two authors agree on this 

 subject. It was in the stuffed specimen above described 

 yellow, with the tip slightly dusky. The occipital feathers 

 very slightly elongated, the longest being an inch and four- 

 twelfths in length. The dorsal plumes have rather firm, 

 though slender, straightish shafts, the longest extending two 



