198 Mr. O. V. Aplin on the 



tliology ') may be Avortli reproducing. Total length 44 

 inches^ -wing from carpal joint 19 inches^ alar expanse 68 

 inches. 



Top of head and plume lead- (or bluish-) black; rest of head 

 and face pure white; neck all round and all down, including 

 long plumes at foot of neck, white. From below throat a 

 line of black marks down to the long narrow plumes ; plumes 

 at base of wing black ; breast and belly black, except middle 

 of breast, where feathers are half white. All the breast- and 

 belly-feathers very long, and underparts look all black ; 

 flanks, sides, thighs, and under tail-coverts white; primaries 

 blackish lead-colour ; secondaries lead-grey ; bend of wing 

 white ; back and Aving-coverts deepish pearl-grey ; many of 

 the long narrow scapulars and side-feathers white; tail grey : 

 bill dark yellow, culmen brown ; iris yellow ; legs and feet 

 blackish horn. 



4 91. Ardea egretta. White Egret. 



I saw the skin of one which was shot at Sta, Ana in the 

 early part of 1892 {i. e. in the autumn). 



-f 92. Ardea c;erulea. Blue Heron. 



On the 19tli December I had a good view of one of 

 these birds as it sat on the bank of the Rio Negro. 



93. BuTORiDEs CYANURUS. Little Blue Heron. 



Not uncommon in the spring and summer, but I do not 

 remember seeing any after February. I have occasionally 

 seen them in open canadas or rivers, but rarely, as they 

 generally keep to those parts of a river which are fairly 

 well wooded. They habitually perch, not only on bare 

 branches, but also in thick thorny trees. Notwithstanding 

 that many of them were adults in fullest plumage, and the 

 strong probability that they would be breeding, I saw nothing 

 to lead me to suppose that they were. The only cry I heard 

 was a harsh croak uttered on being disturbed. The colours 

 of the soft parts of this lovely little Heron are very striking. 

 Bill dark horn ; a short line from base towards eye greenish 

 yellow ; lores and bare skin round eye a fine deep cobalt- 

 blue ; irides golden yellow ; legs dull brick-red orange, 

 colour patchy; soles of feet dull orange. 



