ARDEID^ BUBULCUS 73 



B. S. Afr. p. 307 (1867) ; Barratt, Ibis, 1876, pp. 193, 211 ; Dresser, 



B. Eur. vi, p. 245, pi. 400, fig. 1 (1879) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1880, p. 270, 



1884, p. 233 ; Slielley, Ibis, 1882, p. 364 [Spaldings] ; Holub # Pelzeln, 



Orn. Sild-A.fr. p. 275 (1882). 

 Herodias bubulcus, Kirk, Ibis, 1864, p. 333 ; Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 



265. 

 Bubulcus ibis, Gurney, in Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 288 (1872) ; 



Oates, Matabeleland, p. 327 (1881) ; Sliarpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. 



p. 717 (1884) ; Fleck, Journ. Ornith. 1894, p. 387 ; Eeiclienow, Vog. 



Afr. i, p. 381 (1901) ; Haagner, Ibis, 1902, p. 574. 

 Ardeola bubulcus, Butler, Feilden fr Reid, Zool. 1882, p. 344. 

 Herodias lucidus, Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 157 (1896) ; Hellmayr, Journ' 



Ornith. 1902, p. 235 [Nata River] . 



Bubulcus lucidus, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxvi, pp. 213, 282 (1898). 

 Herodias ralloides (nee Scop.}, Woodward Bros., Natal B. p. 193 (1899). 

 " Buff-backed Egret " of many authors, " Tick bird " of some Colonists, 



" Mafudsangombo " (i.e., Cattle Herd) of Mashonas (Marshall). 



Description. Adult Male in Breeding Dress. Plumage white 

 throughout except for the masses of decomposed elongated orna- 

 mental plumes, covering the head and nape, the foreneck and those 

 springing from the centre of the back, all of which are a beautiful 

 vinous pink. 



Iris yellow ; skin round the eye chrome yellow ; bill pinkish- 

 yellow ; legs dull yellowish-brown. 



Length (in flesh) 21 ; wing lO'O; tail 3-75; culmen 2-4 ; tarsus 

 3-4 ; middle toe and claw 3-4. 



The female is like the male, but has the dorsal plumes less 

 developed ; in non-breeding plumage the ornamental plumes are 

 absent, but there is a slight wash of vinous on the crown and fore- 

 neck ; young birds are very similar to the adults in non-breeding 

 dress. 



Distribution. The Catble Egret is found along the shores of the 

 Mediterranean from Spain, where it breeds, to the Caspian ; beyond 

 this it is replaced by a closely allied species ; it is also found 

 throughout ijhe whole of Africa, including Madagascar. 



Within our limits this Egret seems to be fairly common except 

 in the western half of Cape Colony, where it has, so far as I 

 am aware, been only once noticed. The following are recorded 

 localities : Cape Colony Wynberg, May, 1867 (Layard), Colesberg 

 (Arnot), Spaldings in Barkly West, February (Ayres), Grahamstown 

 (Layard), Port Elizabeth, common (Brown), Port St. John's (Short- 

 ridge) ; Natal Durban Harbour (Woodward), Umlazi Eiver mouth 

 (Ayres), Newcastle (Butler) ; Orange Eiver Colony Vredefort Eoad 



