80 ON THE OCCUEEENCE OF SOME AUSTEALIAN AECLEID^ 



soTitli from Kashgaria), reached a length, of of 17*0 inches in 

 the wiDg. On the other hand, North African, Chinese, and 

 Australian specimens measured in the wing, 14-7 to 15'5; 

 14*2 to 14*75, and 13'0 inches respectively. Ceylonese 

 examples, again, give a length of 13'5 to 15"0 inches. There 

 is, in fact, a regular gradation from the Australian, Chinese,, 

 and Indian races to the birds inhabiting the cooler districts 

 above-mentioned, the large examples found occasionally in 

 tropical localities being either local birds, abnormal in size, 

 or wanderers from contiguous cool countries. As regards 

 Tasmanian examples, the measurements of the wing, supplied 

 to me by Mr. Carr, are 13" 75 to 14-0 inches, which correspond 

 wtih those of the smaller races noticed above. 



The White Egret ranges from South Africa, along both 

 coasts of the continent to the North, bordering on the Delta of 

 the Nile. It is tolerably common in Russia, and Central and 

 Southern Europe, breeding in the great marshes of Hungary. 

 In Fiance and Spain, however, it is rare, and appears to be 

 absent from Portugal, though found farther west in the 

 Azores. To Great Britain it is a straggler. Coming now to 

 Asia, we find it common in Asia Minor, and occurring in 

 Persia, whence it ranges through Central and Highland Asia, 

 and along the great Chinese rivers to the coast, and thence 

 to the island of Formosa, where Swinhoe procured it. South- 

 wards it extends into India, Ceylon, and the islands of the 

 Bay of Bengal, passing down the Malay Peninsula, and 

 ranging through the islands of Malayana to Australia. In the 

 latter continent it appears in Dr. Eamsay's " Distribution 

 List," as very widely scattered round the coasts of all the 

 colonies, and it extends inland to Riverina, though this author 

 does not record it from the far interior. 



The second species under notice, Ardea pacifica, Latham, 

 appears to have visited the island in a small flock during the 

 autumn, and then spread over the northern districts. Mr. Carr 

 informs me that it was recently shot at the Lake River, on the 

 Tamar, and at Stanley, within the space of a day or two. On the- 

 24th ult. I procured an adult female on my own estate at 

 CuUenswood. It was frequenting some temporary rain j^ools 

 in a paddock not far from the house, and was very shy, but 

 by stalking it in long grass I managed to get a shot and pro- 

 cured it. 



The Pacific Heron is a handsome species, with great 

 expanse of wing for the size of its body, which gives it a 

 heavy, flopping flight. The measurements and description of 

 my specimens are as follow: — Length, 300 inches; wing, 

 15-75;. tail, 5-25; tarsus, 5-0; middle toe, 275; bill, tip to 

 gape, 4-4. It is mottled greenish slate ; orbitar skin, dusky- 

 bluish ; upper mandible and sides of lower, black ; base 

 -beneath, fleshy whitish ; legs and feet, black. 



