on the Hinls of Fohkien. 221 



series to work upon. After comparing them with the large 

 series of D. sacra iu the Museum collection, I came to the 

 conclusion that the two birds were quite distinct. 

 My reasons for thinking so are as follows : — 

 Firstly. The crests in the two species are quite different. 

 D. sacra has a very short and bushy crest. 

 In H. eulophotes the crest is long, the longest feathers 

 exceeding 4 in. in length. Swinhoe describes it as 

 " springing from the occiput and forming a full 

 ornamental crest, the highest ones being longest and 

 measuring 4^ in. each, the length diminishing gradu- 

 ally to the lower ones." 

 Secondly. The dorsal plumes differ very greatly. 



In D. sacra these are lanceolate feathers with decomposed 



edges and are worn by adult birds at all seasons. 

 In H. eulophotes they form a dorsal train of the well- 

 known Egret plumes which, in good specimens, extend 

 about an inch beyond the tail, but are not recurved 

 at the tips as in H. garzetta. These plumes are only 

 worn in the nesting-season. 

 Thirdly. The colouring of the soft parts in H. eulophotes 

 differs from that in D. sacra as given in the writings 

 of Indian ornithologists. Our bird in the breeding- 

 season has yellow irides and bill. The bare skin in 

 front of the eye is bright blue. Tarsus and base of 

 toes black ; rest of toes yellow. 

 Fourthly. In habits H. eulophotes is an Egret. It frequents 

 rice-fields, or the sides of inland ponds and creeks, and 

 often nests on the same trees as H. garzetta. My 

 collectors have never met with it on the coast. 

 La Touche, to whom I have submitted the substance of 

 these remarks, writes : — " No additional notes on this species. 

 The soft parts in breeding specimens are as described. Some 

 specimens have the blue not so bright." 



ClCONIA BOYCIANA Swinhoe. 



A fine adult specimen in La Touchers collection is labelled 

 "Foochow, autumn 1900 or spring 1901/' It measures (in 

 the skin) : — Wing 25 25 in., culmen 9'80, tarsus 10*50. 



