100 



GENUS ARDETTA. Tail feathers ten ; bill serrated. Tibio-tarsus 

 feathered right down to the heel ; middle toe and claw about equal 

 in length to tarsus. 



719. A. Silieiisis, Gmelin, Chinese Heron. 



Back and scapulars uniform earthy-brown ; crown of head black ; 

 wing coverts light clay colour ; neck frill vrnaceous, also sides of 

 face. Female more rufous above ; sides of face yellowish-buff. 



Young has wing coverts broadly centred with dark brown, and 

 crown streaked ; under surface of body much more distinctly 

 streaked. 



Total length, 15 '5 in. ; culmen, 2'1 in. ; tarsus, 2 in. 

 Hab. : 1. 



720. A. pUSilla, Vieill. (A. minute, Ramsay's Tab. List), Little Bittern. 



(A. minuta, Linn., is considered extra- Australian. ) 



Bill, feet, and space round the eye yellow ; general appearance 



yellowish-rufous ; back and scapulars black ; neck full ; sides of 



face and eyebrows bright chestnut. 



Total length, 10 in. ; culmen, 1'8 in. ; tarsus, 1'6 in. 

 Hab. : 1, 2, 3, 4, 6. 



GENUS DUPETOR. Bill short and thick ; culmen lower than the tarsus ; 

 tarsus equals middle toe and claw. 



721. D. gOllldi, Bparte. (Butorides flavicollis, Gld.), Black Bittern. 



(D. flavicollis, Lath., not Australian.) 



Upper surface dark slaty-grey ; back and scapular feathers hoary 

 and glossed ; wings and tail black ; row of feathers down throat are 

 black ; fore-neck reddish-brown ; abdomen brown. 



Total length, male 24 in., tarsus 2 '6 in. ; female 21 in., tarsus 

 2-6 in. 



Hab. : 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9. 



GENUS BOTAURUS. Hind claw very long, nearly equal to hallux in 

 length. Culmen about equal to inner toe with claw ; bill serrated. 



722. B. pceciloptilllS, Wagl. (B. australis, Gld.), Bittern. 



Head and ruff on sides of neck smoky-brown; mantle and scapulars 

 uniform black ; sides of chest have black-centred feathers ; space 

 round eye and feet pale green ; reddish bands on fore-neck. 



Young. More uniform reddish tint ; quills mottled and barred. 

 Hab. : 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9. 



FAMILY CICONIIDJE. 



Hind toe elevated above the plane of the other toes ; no powder down 

 patches ; bill not hooked at the tip ; both toes webbed at the base, 

 the outer one especially ; no pectination on middle claw. 



SUB-FAMILY CICONIIN^E. 

 The lower mandible has the genys recurved, never decurved. 



GENUS XENORHYNCHUS. Culmen very long, about equal to the 



tarsus. 



723. X, asiatiCUS, Lath. (Mycteria australis), Black-necked Stork 



(Jabiru). 



Plumage above white ; under surface white ; head and neck 

 covered with metallic bluish glossy plumes ; legs and toes coral red. 



Tarsus, 11 in. ; culmen, 11 '5 in. 

 Hab.: 1,2, 3, (7), 8. 



