530 BIRDS FliOM SEYCHELLES AND VICINITY— BIDGWAY. vol. xviu. 



Family IBIDID^. 

 18. IBIS ABBOTTI, Ridgway. 



Ihis ahholH, Eidgway, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., XVI, 1893, p. 599 (Aldabi-ii lalaiid; 



U.S.N.M.). 



Specific characters. — Similar to I. bernicri, as clistinguished from I. 

 cvihiojncn, but lower neck uaked aud miiiutely papillose; remiges with- 

 out dark-colored tips (blackish gray in I. hernieri, dark metallic greeu 

 in I. aihiopica)', decomposed tertials greenish blue on outer, grayish 

 green on inner, webs, and iris light blue instead of white. 



Type.—:So. 128812, U.S.N.M., female adult, Aldabra Island, October 

 8, 1892; Dr. W. L. Abbott. 



Tliis bird is separated from I. hernieri (Bonaparte) with some doubt, 

 but there can be no question as to its distinctness from I. (vthiopica, 

 Latham. It agrees with I. hernieri, and differs Irom J. cvthiopicain the 

 slender bill, light-colored iris, and lack of purple hue to the decomposed 

 tertials; but it differs from I. hernieri, as described, in having the lower 

 half of the neck (except extreme lower portion) entirely naked and 

 minutely papillose; the iris light blue instead of white; the remif/es 

 wiihout da rl- colored tips (dark metallic green in I. (vthiopica, blackish 

 gray in I. hernieri), and the decomposed tertials greenish blue on the 

 outer, and grayish green on the inner, webs. 



In view of the probability that it may prove to be a local insular 

 form, I have proposed for it the name Ibis ahbotti. 



The fresh colors of the unfeathered parts, as recorded on the label, 

 are as follows: "Bill black; feet black; tarsi with a reddish tinge; 

 iris light blue; bare skin on under side of wings dull red.*' Length 

 (before skinning), 27 inches. 



"Creole name, ' Corhijeau hlanc.^ Common and extremely tame. A 

 half dozen birds lived constantly about the camj), feeding upon scraps 

 and turtle offal." (Abbott, MS.) 



Family ARDEID^E. 

 19. ARDEA CINEREA, Linnaeus. 



One specimen, October 15. 



"Creole name ^Florentin.'' Common, aud breeds upon islets in the 

 lagoon. Saw nests with young birds in them in November. It is also 

 found in Providence Island and the Amirantes. Stragglers are said to 

 visit the Seychelles occasionally.'' (Abbott, MS.) 



20. DEMIGRETTA GULARIS (Bosc.) 



Two specimens in dark-colored plumage, October 15 and November 

 10; two in white plumage, October 11 and December 20. 



"This is the commonest heron in Aldabra. Two forms exist, but I do 

 not know their relationships. It is probably a case of dimorphism 



