BUFF-BACKED HERON. 529 



of the occiput, and others hanging from the bottom of the 

 neck in front, are of a brilliant orange colour ; all the rest 

 of the plumage is of a shining white ; the lore and irides 

 are of a fine yellow colour, but the naked skin does not en- 

 circle the eye ; the upper mandible is slightly curved ; the 

 beak yellow ; the legs are yellow, but the joints and the 

 toes are darker, and tinged with lead colour. 



Males and females are alike in plumage. 



The young specimen obtained by Montagu is thus de- 

 scribed : The length is about twenty inches ; the bill two 

 inches long to the feathers on the forehead, and of an orange 

 yellow ; the lore and orbits the same ; irides pale yellow. 

 The whole plumage is snowy white, except the crown of 

 the head, and the upper part of the neck before, which are 

 buff : legs three inches and a half long, and one inch and a 

 half bare space above the joint ; these parts are nearly 

 black, with a tinge of green ; the toes and claws are of the 

 same colour ; the middle claw pectinated. 



The skin was of a very dark colour, almost black, so that 

 on the cheeks and sides of the neck, where the feathers are 

 thin, it is partly seen, or at least gives a dingy shade to the 

 white plumage of those parts. 



On the back of the head the feathers are a little elongat- 

 ed, but scarcely to be called a crest ; on the lower part of 

 the neck before, the feathers are more elongated, and though 

 not slender, hang detached over the upper part of the 

 breast : the tail when closed is in a slight degree forked, 

 and so short as to be entirely covered by the wings when 

 they are folded. 



VOL. ii. M M 



