216 



the head crested and having a cap of vinous sienna ; the ornamental 

 plumes of the back also vinous sienna, and some ornamental plumes 

 on the fore-neck of the same colour: "biU chrome, but paler towards 

 the gape ; tarsi and feet dusky sooty ; iris pale chrome, darker towards 

 the outer edge ; eyelids also pale chrome " {T. Ayres). Total length 

 19 inches, culmen 2-2, wing 9'8, tail 3-25, tarsus 3-2, middle toe 

 and claw 3*1. 



Adult female. Similar to the male, but the ornamental plumes 

 not quite so fully developed : " bill and skin about the eye bright 

 chrome-yellow ; tibiae and tarsi pale yeUow ; feet dusky yellow " 

 {T. Ayres.). Total length 18-5 inches, culmen 2-3, wing 9-3, 

 tail 3-1, tarsus 3-3, middle toe and claw 2-95. 



Winter plumage of the adults. Entirely pure white, wanting the 

 ornamental plumes. 



Young. Similar to the winter plumage of the adults, and devoid of 

 all the ornamental plumes, but having a slight tinge of saffron colour 

 on the head. 



The difference in colour of the ornamental plumes in the breeding 

 season between this species and B. coromandus are not so pro- 

 nounced as some ornithologists maintain. Although the crest- 

 feathers and dorsal plumes are of a vinous tint in B. lucidus and 

 of an orange tint in B. coromandus, it is by no means unfrequent to 

 see specimens of B. luddxis which have the crown, dorsal and 

 pectoral plumes tinged with orange : indeed in birds from Cyprus 

 and another from Egypt there is scarcely any difference in the tint 

 of the ornamental plumes from those of B. coromandus. In fact, 

 the only differential character between these specimens and B. coro- 

 mandus in full breeding-plumage consists in the greater extent of 

 the bright colour on the head and neck. Similarly with regard 

 to the two specimens collected at Bird Island, Seychelles, by 

 Dr. Coppinger. These have the ornamental plumes distributed as 

 in B. lucidus, but the colour is that of B. coromandus. Had it 

 not been for the orange-crested birds from Cyprus and Egypt, 

 I should not have hesitated to describe the Bird Island specimens 

 as a distinct species. 



Hah. Southern Europe, the whole of Africa, and extending to 

 Central Asia. 



a. Ad. St. 



b-k. S ? sestiv. sk. 



I. S sestiv. sk. 



m. Juv. sk. 



n. Hiem. sk. 



o. c? sestiv. sk. 



p. 5 sestiv. sk. 

 g. S asstiv. ; r-v. 



Juv. sk. 

 to-z. cJ sestiv. sk. 

 a', ^stiv. sk. 



Devonshire. 



Southern Spain. 



Zana, Algeria, June : 



(O. S.). 

 Asia Minor ( T. Rohson) 



22 



Dalmatia. 



Larnaca, Cyprus, April 10, 



1887 {Dr. Guillem trd). 

 Limasol, Cyprus, May 7. 

 Fao, Persian Gulf, Sept. 



Egypt, March {G. E. S.). 

 Egypt. 



]\Iontagu Coll. 

 Lord Lilford [P.l. 

 Salviu-Godman Coll. 



Dr. R. B. Sharps 



[P.l. 

 Old Coll. 

 Lord Lilford [P.j. 



Lord Lilford [P.]_. 

 W. D. Cumming, 



Esq. [P.]. 

 Shelley Coll. 

 Sir J. Bowring [P.]. 



