Mr. R. Swinhoe o/j the Ornithology of Amoy (China). 65 



long, with several shorter ones fitting into the groove on their 

 vinder sides ; these feathers are the same colour as the head. ]\ow 

 Horsfield states, in his ' Researches in Java/ that the A. speciosa 

 has "in its complete dress the head ahove, &c. isabella-yellow 

 with a rufous tint . . . . ; colour of the back intensely black 

 . . . . ; feet dark yellowish brown .... The crest consists of 

 from four to six greatly lengthened linear plumes of a very pure 

 milk-white colour. The bill is dusky at the base.'' 



This comparison of the adult plumage is surely convincing of 

 the non-identity of the two birds. The immature plumage would 

 appear to be more similar ; but even here there are differences. 

 In the ]\Ialacca species, according to Horsfield, " the wings 

 and the tail are pure white ;" in ours, they are more or less 

 dashed with blackish. In his, " the feet, and the upper mandible 

 throughout its whole length, are black ;" in ours, the former 

 are bright yellowish green, with bi'ownish claws, and the bill 

 pale liver-brown, black for 5 inch at the tip ; the naked space 

 round the eye greenish-yellow, bluish at the base of the bill. 

 Hence it is plain that ours is not A. speciosa ; and, from the 

 following remark from Mr. Blyth after comparing skins from 

 Amoy with some of the ^. leucoptera, it is also evident that it is 

 perfectly distinct from the Bengal species. Mr. Blyth observes, 

 "Yours is so exceedingly like our common A. leucoptera in 

 winter dress, as to be hardly, if at all, distinguishable, but utterly 

 unlike it in summer garb. Malacca specimens I have only seen 

 in winter dress." 



118. Ardetta cinnamomea (Gmel.). 

 A summer visitant. 



119. Ardetta sinensis (Gmel.). [A.lepida, Horsf.) 

 Common during summer, among the bushes that line the 



banks of the i-iver. 



120. Nycticorax manillensis (Vigors). 



Seen flying overhead during summer, in the dusk of nightfall, 

 uttering strange croaks. 



121. Platalea leucorodia, Linn. 

 Occasional winter visitant. 



VOL. II. F 



