27. AEDEOLA. 205 



Ardea (Ardeola) coiuata, Blanf. Geol. 8f Zool. Abyss, p. 435 (1870 : 



Antalo). 

 Bubulcus ralloides, Dubois, Consp. Av. Europ. p. 27 (1871). 



Adult male in ireeding-plumage. General colour of the back- 

 pale vinous, including the ornamental plumes ; the wings and 

 tail white, the coverts with a slight yellowish shade, the inner 

 secondaries also washed with ochreous yellow ; entire head and 

 neck pale straw-colour, inchuiug to golden buff on the lower hind- 

 neck, as well as on the throat, fore-neck, and plumes on the sides 

 of the chest ; the feathers on the head and hind-neck narrowly 

 edged with black lines, these lines being sub-marginal on the elon- 

 gated nuchal plumes, the longest of which are white at the ends ; 

 chin white ; on the throat and fore-neck some scanty lines of dusky 

 blackish, which are sub-marginal, as on the nuchal plumes : " bare 

 skin about the eye, gape, and bill about the nostrils bright grass- 

 green ; bill for about an inch black ; intermediate portion of bill 

 and base (except round the nostrils) bright ashy blue ; upper surface 

 of tarsi and toes ashy, with a tinge of light chrome about the joints 

 and feet ; iris very pale chrome-yellow " {T. Ay res). Total length 

 21 inches, culmen 2-6, wing 9*2, tail 3*2, tarsus 2-7, middle toe 

 and claw 2-8. 



Adidt female. Similar to the male, but smaller, with a somewhat 

 shorter crest, and the dorsal train not so fully developed. Total 

 length 19 inches, culmen 2-25, wing 8-1, tail ■1-75, tarsus 2-2. 



Adidt in ivinier lilumage. Earthy brown on the back and scapu- 

 lars, with some yellowish shaft-stripes on the latter ; the lower 

 back, rump, and upper tail-coverts white like the tail ; wings 

 white, the coverts washed with ochreous buff, the inner secondaries 

 earthy brown like the back ; head, neck, and imderparts as in the 

 summer plumage, but the crest-plumes not so developed and of the 

 same colour as the crown ; the long nape-plumes not developed : 

 " bill dark sap-green, feet darker ; claws black ; iris yellow ; loral 

 space green " (i^. H. H. Guillemard). 



Young birds. Resemble the winter plumage of the adults, but 

 are at once distinguished by the black shafts to the primaries, which 

 are washed or dusted with ashy brown on the outer webs or at the 

 tips. In very young birds the tail is also washed with brown near 

 the end. 



Hab. A summer visitor to the countries of the Mediterranean, 

 Southern Russia, and the Caspian ; accidental in Central Europe. 

 Resident throughout Africa. 



a. Ad. sk. Conway, Denbighshire. Old Collection. 



b. Ad. sk. Germany. Old Collection. 

 c-i. d 2 ad. sk. Cyprus, April, May (F. H. Lord Lillbrd [P.]. 



JI. Guillemard). 

 k, I. Ad. St. Athens. Consul Meriin [P.]. 



7n-g. Ad. sk. Southern Spain. Lord Lilford [P.]. 



r. Ad. sk. Marocco. Tweeddale Coll. 



8. Ad. sk. Gambia. Governor Randall 



[C.]. 



