Mr. T. Ayres on the Ornithology of Transvaal. 349 



375. Nycticorax leuconotus, Wagl. White - backed 

 Night- Heron. 



The specimen sent, which is the first I have met with, was 

 one of a pair shot by Mr. Lucas on the river Hex, in the 

 Rustenburg district. Mr. Lucas informs me that this pair 

 of birds had a nest " composed of rushes on water/^ and con- 

 taining five eggs ; one of these, which Mr. Lucas sent to me, 

 is white, with a faint tinge of green, and measures 1]^ x 1 ^''g 

 inch. 



376. Herodias alba (Linn.). Great White Heron. 

 Female, Potchefstroom, September 1883. Total length in 



flesh 30 inches. L'is yellow; bill and skin round the eye 

 yellow; tarsi and feet entirely black. 



[I have taken the following additional measurements from 

 this specimen, in which the decomposed feathers of the back 

 are very slightly developed : — Bill from forehead 4"1 inches, 

 do. from gape 5; wing 14'7, tarsus 5'7; middle toe s. u. 3 5. 

 —J. H. G.] 



Female, Potchefstroom, 19th January, 1884. With long 

 back-plumes. Length in the flesh 38 inches, bill from gape 5i 

 [from forehead 4-1. — J. H. G.], wing 15, tarsus 6. Iris pale 

 yellow ; bill chrome-yellow with black edges ; bare skin at 

 the base of the bill and about the eye greenish ; shanks, legs, 

 and feet black ; decomposed tufts of feathers on the rump 

 and breast creamy white. 



This lovely Heron is generally scarce and difficult to get 

 in our district. 



[The above measurements may be compared with those of 

 a specimen of Herodias intermedia given by Mr. Sharpe in 

 ' The Ibis,^ 1877, p. 349.— J. H. G.] 



Plegadis falcinellus (Linn.). Glossy Ibis. 



Male, neaidy adult, Potchefstroom, 4th March, 1884. Iris 

 umber-brown ; bill ashy bottle-green ; a narrow line of 

 dingy white immediately before the feathers of the head just 

 at the back of the eye ; tarsi and feet pinkish ash-colour. 



Female, nearly adult, Potchefstroom, 10th August, 1883. 



The Glossy Ibis is always a scarce bird here. 



[I have taken the following measurements from the above 



