- 46 - 



Ardeidae. 



Ixohrychus minutus payesi (Verr.). — Rchw. I. p. 367. 



Ardetta payesi Reichenow: op. cit. 



1 c5 ad. 14. 5. Soy. 



A male, in full dress, of this beautiful Heron was shot at 

 the lake just mentioned, 10 miles northwest of Soy in the direc- 

 tion of Elgon. When I sent the natives into the reeds, which 

 everywhere grew to a great height and were difficult to pene- 

 trate, it flew along the surface of the water some 10 metres 

 and then dropped into the shallow water on the beach. 



The dark -red -brown feathers of the neck are sprinkled 

 with a few dark, blackish ones, but otherwise the dress approa- 

 ches the description of that of the Sansibar-specimen given by 

 Reichenow. 



Reichenow doubts whether we are entitled to establish 

 geographical sub-species of this species. If only colour diagnoses 

 were the foundation of such a division it would perhaps be 

 audacious in the present case, but as the various measurements 

 and a number of the other characters vary there are probably 

 more well-founded reasons than in some cases where a far- 

 reaching division has been made on account of very small — 

 mostly purely subjective — differences. 



Wing total length tarsus tail culmen 



147 mm. 325 mm. 45 mm. 56 mm. 46 mm. 



In this individual the irides are dark, egg -yoke yellow 

 (thus yellow-red); bill yellowish brown with a black tip and the 

 legs saffron-coloured. 



Ardeola idae Hartl. — Catal. of Birds in the Brit. Mus. 

 vol. XXVI. p. 206. 



Kalyan-zuka . . . ki-kamba (for all small Herons). 

 1 <5 ad. 24. 7. Mount Elgon. 



Of this interesting species of Heron, whose real home is 

 Madagascar, a cT specimen was shot below the eastern slopes 

 of Mount Elgon, at about 7.000 feet above sea-level. It was 

 found on an open plain near a little brook, where the natives 

 had recently burnt all the vegetation, looking for food among 

 the charred remains of grass and bushes. Only this one was seen. 



No doubt it must be regarded as a mere accident that 

 this species had strayed so far from its real native country and 

 the fact of its having found its way as far up as the Elgon terri- 

 tory is not easy to explain. 



In comparing this specimen with the specimens in the 

 Berlin Museum it was seen that the specimens found there are 

 more grey on the upper surface and not quite so rusty-brown 

 on the neck. 



