412 MR. R. SWINHOE ON THE BIRDS OF CHINA. [May 2, 



586. Egretta modesta (Gray). 



Ardea modesta, J. E. Gray, Zool. Misc. p. 19; 111. Ind. Zool. 

 pi. 49. 



Ardea syrmatophora, Gould, P. Z. S. 1846 ; B. of Austr. pi. 



Ardea egretta 1, Ibis, 1860, p. 64, 1861, p. 51. 



Herodias alba, Ibis, 1863, p. 417, 1866, p. 295, 1867, p. 387, 

 1870, p. 365 ; P. Z. S. 1863, p. 319, 1870, p. 427. 



Prof. Schlegel (Mus. des Pays-Bas) maintains that the E. alba 

 of Europe is constantly of a larger form than the White Heron of 

 Africa, Asia, and Australia; but he identifies the latter with the 

 American White Heron, A. egretta, Gmel. {leuce, Illiger). I have 

 compared an adult male from Canton with an adult male from 

 America in Mr. Salvin's collection. The Chinese bird has a tarse f 

 inch longer than the American, but is otherwise of nearly similar 

 proportions ; it has a more compressed head, a black bill, and a 

 considerably longer dorsal train. Mr. Salvin says that he has never 

 heard of the American bird acquiring a black bill, and agrees witli 

 me in considering it distinct from the East-Asian bird. With the 

 African E.flavirostris, Temm., I have not been able to make com- 

 parison. The European E. alba, like our bird, has the bill yellow 

 in winter, black in summer, and would appear to be a larger edition 

 of the same, in fact a larger conspecies. In the same way the Cali- 

 fornian White Heron seems to be a larger conspecies of the E. leuce 

 of South-eastern North America. There is no harm in recognizing 

 them as species. Throughout China, Hainan, and Formosa. 



587. Egretta intermedia (V. Hasselq.). 



Herodias intermedia, Ibis, 1861, p. 344; P. Z. S. 1863, p. 319, 

 1870, p. 427. 

 Herodias egret toides, Ibis, 1861, p. 261. • 



Bill yellow throughout the year, tipped with black. Canton ; 

 Hankow. 



588. Garzetta egretta (Brisson). 



Herodias garzetta, Ibis, 1860, pp. 64, 429, 1861, p. 52, 1862, 

 p. 258, 1863, p. 417, 1870, p. 365; P. Z. S. 1863, p. 319, 1870, 

 p. 427. 



Southern China, Hainan, and Formosa. 



589. Garzetta etjlophotes. 



Herodias eulophotes, Swinh. Ibis, 1860, p. 64, 1863, p. 4i8; 

 P. Z.S. 1863, p. 320. 

 Amoy ; North Formosa. 



590. BUBULCUS COROMANDUS. 



Bvphus coromandus (Bodd.), Ibis, 1860, p. 64, 1861, p. 52, 1862, 

 p. 258, 1863, p. 419, 1865, p. 234 ; P. Z. S. 1863, p. 320. 

 Summer visitant to South China and Formosa. 



