32 Mr. S. S. Allen 07i the Birds of Egypt. 



colli antici circumdante ochracea^ lateraliter nigricante strio- 

 lata, infra nigro cincta ; fascia altera angusta ventrali cas- 

 tanea; supracaudalibus, basi caudse rectricibusque tribus 

 exterioribus albis, barum secunda et tertia anguste fulvo 

 bifasciatisj reliquis pallide fuliginosis, indistincte ferrugi- 

 neo limbatis, apicibus albis ; quarta macula pogonii in- 

 terni et externi, quinta pogonii interni alba : remigibus 

 nigro-fuscis indistinctius ferrugineo limbatis; primse basi 

 tota reliquarum parte basali pogonii interni albis ; cubita - 

 libus notseo pallidioribuSj apicibus albo limbatis : subalari- 

 bus albidis, ex parte irregulariter fusco fasciatis : rostro 

 nigro, tomiis pallidioribus ; iride brunnea : pedibus pallide 

 violacescenti-ochraceis. Long, tota 9" ; latitude ext. al. 18" ; 

 long, rostri et fronte 6" 7'"; alse 6" ; caudaj 3" 2'"; tarsi 2" 

 3-3'"; digiti medii sine ungue 7" 7'"; dig. lat. 4" 8'", poll, 

 et lin. Gall. 



This Plover is nearly allied to Cursorius in form ; but the top of 

 the beak is less curved downwards, and the maxilla at the top is a 

 little inflated : the nasal apertures are not oval, but rather cuneate 

 and very much elongated. The second reniex is somewhat 

 longer than the first. The legs are very long, and scutellated on 

 both sides. The three toes are rather lengthened, the middle 

 and outer ones being connected by a faint indication of a mem- 

 brane. The inner margin of the claw of the middle toe is di- 

 stinctly dentated. The subcuneate tail consists of 12 rectrices. 



The unique specimen here described was obtained near Gon- 

 dokoro, on the White Nile, in the Bari country, in 5° N. lat. 

 The bird appears to be rather rare. 



III. — Notes on the Birds of Egypt. By S. Stafford Allen. 

 [Continued from vol. iv. p. 361.] 



4. The Buff-backed Heron {Herodias bubulcus). 



Perhaps the most conspicuous bird that catches the eye of the 

 traveller in Egypt is the Buff-backed Heron {Herodias bubulcus ; 

 Ardea russata, Yarr. & Gould ; Bubulcus ibis, Bonaparte), in 

 its winter plumage of pure white, which is to be met with in 

 flocks of from four or five to thirty, distributed all over the 

 country. 



