ARDEA. 651 



almost every stick they had used in building and to begin operations afresh 

 in a distant locality. 



Gen. Ardea Linn, 



Bill slender, the tip scooped ; upper mandible with a groove from the 

 nostril, but not extending to the tip ; nostril covered partially by membrane; 

 2nd and 3rd quills longest tarsi long and sctttellate in front. 



1342. Ardea goliath, Temm.* PL Col. 474; Rupp., Faun. Abyss. 

 pi. 26; Jerd. t B. Ind. iii. p. 739; Hume, Nests and Eggs Ind. B. p. 610, No. 

 621 ; id., Sir. F. i. p. 105 ; vii. p. 490. The GIANT HERON. 



Upper plumage dark blue grey; short occipital crest and rest of head dark 

 brown ; sides of the head and entire neck chestnut brown ; chin and throat 

 white ; neck in front white with black streaks ; breast and abdomen dark 

 chestnut brown. The young bird is dull grey above, the head, ear coverts 

 and back of neck are pale rufous cinnamon. Bill dusky above, beneath and 

 tip greenish; irides pale yellow; legs blackish (Jerd.) 



Length. 55 to 65 inches; wing 24; tail 10; bill at front 8; tarsus 9; 

 standing height nearly 4 feet. 



Hab. Bengal, near Calcutta and the Khasia hills. Nothing certain appears 

 to be known of its nidification. 



1343- Ardea SUmatrana, Raffles, Trans. Linn. Soc. xiiu p. 325 ; 

 Jerd., B. Ind. ii. p. 740 (part); Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 610 (part)r 

 Salvad., Ucc. Born. p. 344; Blyth, B. Burm. p. 159; Hume and Dav., Sir. 

 F. vi. p. 469; id., Sir. F. viii. p. 114. Ardea typhon, Temm., PI. Col. 745. 

 Ardea tectirostris, Gould, P. Z. S. 1843, p. 22; id,. B. Austr. vi. pi. 54. 

 The GREAT SLATY HERON. 



Entire upper surface deep slaty ; scapulars and feathers of the inrerscapu- 

 lary region linear, lanceolate, and elongated, with the terminal portions greyish 

 white ; those of the base of the neck similar but 1 ;ss elongated ,- crown with 

 a dull purplish shade, also on the occiput, crown, back and sides of the neck ; 

 occipital crest long, linear and greyish white, about 9 inches long ; orbital 

 region, a band above and below the eye to the commissure bare ; ear coverts 

 and sides of the occiput light ashy brown, sometimes faintly rufescent ; chin, 

 upper part of throat, and feathers on either side of the base of the lower 

 mandible white ; rest of the throat and foreneck mingled ashy brown and 

 slaty, with here and there a slightly ruddy tinge ; feathers of the base and sides 

 and front of the neck elongated, some of them fully seven inches in length, 

 linear lanceolate, and the terminal portions pearl grey ; rest of entire lower 

 surface ash grey ; wing lining, axillaries and under surface of the wing pure 

 blue slate colour. (Hume.') 



