ARDEID^. 745 



pale yellow ■; naked part of tibia pale livid ; tarsus black, more or 

 less suffused with vinous-red. Length about 36 inches ; extent 54 ; 

 wing 15; tail 6^; bill at front 4^; tarsus Gi; nude portion of 

 tibia 5 ; middle toe and claw 4^. 



In winter, and for the greater part of the year, the dorsal train 

 is wanting ; the bill is deep yellow ; the orbitar skin and base of 

 bill wax-yellow, and the legs and feet black, yellowish on the 

 soles and above the knee. 



The large Egret is distributed throughout India to Ceylon, 

 extending, if Gould's syrmatopliorus be rightly identified with 

 this species, from Europe through most of Asia and Africa to 

 Australia. It is of course most abundant in the better watered 

 districts, but is found everywhere, feeding in rivers and tanks, 

 and roosting on trees. It breeds, in company, on trees, often in, 

 or close to some village, making the usual nest of sticks, and 

 laying three or four eggs of a bluish-green colour. 



This species is said to make its nest in Europe, among reeds, 

 but this is quite opposed to the habits of all the Egrets. 



Bonaparte creates much confusion by separating the Egrets 

 with yellow bills from those with black ones, not being aware 

 that they change with the season ; and he moreover separates 

 egretta from modesta, giving Africa and the South of Europe 

 as the locality of the former, and the South and East of Asia as 

 the habitat of the latter. 



926. H. egrettoides, Temminck. 



Man. d' Orm. 2, p. 374 — Ardea intermedia, Wagler — Blyth, 

 Cat. 1639 — A. flavirostris, Bonnaterre— A. nigrirostris. Gray, 

 Hardwicke, 111. Ind. Zool., pi.— A. putea, Buch. Hamilton, 

 — H. plumifera, Gould, Birds of Australia, VI. bl~Fatangkha 

 or Patokha bag la, H. 



The Smaller Egret. 



Bescr.—ln summer, plumage pure white, like the last ; a long 

 dorsal train reaching nearly to the ground, and a beautiful long 

 pectoral tuft of similarly formed feathers, but no crest. 



Part ii. 5 b 



