226 ARDEID^. 



Ardea pusilla (nee V.), Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 310 (1867). 



Ai'detta minuta, Gurney in Anderss. B. Dam.-Ld. p. 292 (1872 : 



Okavanffo and Teoughe Rivers ; Lake Ngauii). 

 Ardeola minuta {nee L.), Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. J872, p. 69, 1879, p. 95. 

 Botaurus (Ardetta) minutus, Eeichen. J. f. O. 1877, p. 13 (Loango 



Coast). 

 Botaurus minutus subsp. pu«illus, Meiehen. J. f. 0. 1877, p. 243. 

 Botaurus pusillus {nee V.), Reiehen. Corr. Afrik. Ges. i. p. 1 (1877 : 



Malange) ; Bocage, Orn. Angola, p. 447 (1881: Rio Coroca; 



Mossamedes) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 720 (1884). 

 Ardea minuta, var. podiceps, Milne-Edtvards ^ Gi'andid. Hist. 



Madag., Ois. ii. p. 559, pis. 229 a, 230, 230 a (1882). 

 Ardetta podicipes, Saunders, Man. Brit. B. p. 370 (1889). 

 Ardetta pusilla, Reiehen. Vijg. deutsch.-Osf.-Afr. p. 64 (1894: 



Pangani ; Bukoba). 



Adult. Similar to A. minuta, but easily distinguished by the 

 chestnut or deep cinnamon colour of the sides of the neck, which 

 extends over the sides of the face, and forms also a broad rufous 

 eyebrow ; on the bend of the wing near the carpal joint there is 

 a chestnut patch, which also serves to distinguish it from A. minuta : 

 " bill very pale chrome, greenish towards the base and gape, and 

 dusky brown on the ridge and tip ; tarsi and feet grass-green, the 

 back of the tarsi and soles of feet pale yellow ; iris bright brick- 

 red" (T. Ayres). Total length 12 inches, culmen I'S, wing o-l, 

 tail 1'65, tarsus 1"6, middle toe and claw L75. 



The Madagascar bird (true A.podicipes) is similar to the African 

 species, but very much darker rufous, the sides of the face and sides 

 of neck chestnut, the under surface of the body very deep cinnamon 

 rufous, and the upper wing-coverts chestnut. Total length 

 9'5 inches, culmen 1'9, wing 5, tail 1'5, tarsus 1*55, middle toe and 

 claw 1-9. 



Dr. Reichenow records the true A. minuta from the Loango 

 Coast ; and many of the African specimens have a greyish vinous 

 shade on the sides of the face and neck, but never to the extent of 

 the true A. minuta, which, according to my experience, is very rare 

 in Africa. 



Hah. Confined to Africa and Madagascar. ? Arabia *. 



* The specimen from Aden, presented to the Museum by the late Lieut. 

 Barnes, appears to me to be A. podicipes. Being a young bird, however, it is 

 difficult to identify it with certainty. 



