ARDEIDyE. 293 



I never met with this species in Damara or Great 

 Namaqua Land ; but it is not uncommon on the rivers 

 Okavango and Teoughe, and also at Lake Ngami. It 

 inhabits marshy districts, where it hides closely, coming- 

 out on the approach of night to feed on small fish and 

 reptiles, and also on insects and mollusca. It is found 

 singly or in pairs. 



The iris is yellow*, as is also the lore; the bill is yellow, 

 but with a tinge of brownish on the upper mandible ; 

 the legs and toes are greenish yellow. 



[I have not seen any examples of this bird from South-western 

 Africa ; but Mr. Andersson's memoranda contain a carefully 

 worded description of this species, which appears to confirm 

 the correctness of his identification, if it was taken from a 

 specimen of his own procuring. 



It is, however, very easy to mistake for this species, on a super- 

 ficial examination, its nearly allied South-African congener 

 Ardetta podiceps (Bon.). — Ed.] 



345. Nycticorax aegyptius (Hasselq,). European Night Heron. 

 Ardea ni/dicorad; Gould's Birds of Europe, pi. 279. 

 Nycticorax yrisem, Layard's Cat. No. 592. 



This species is pretty frequent in the Lake-country; 

 it occurs in Ondonga in the wet season, and is recorded 

 as having been obtained on the Orange Eiver. In 

 Damara Land I have only observed it very rarely, and 

 always in immature plumage. It feeds on fish, reptiles, 

 aquatic insects, slugs, &c. 



In the adult bird the iris is crimson-red ; the ex- 



* [In another of Mr. Andersson's MS. notes he speaks of the iris of this 

 species as being cherry-coloured ; but there is no doubt that its usual colour 

 is yellow. — Ed.] 



