ARDEA (ARDEOLA) GUTTURALIS.-Smith. 



AvEs.— PLATE XCI. (Male.) 



A. supra nigro-purpurea viride-lEevigata ; giilu gutturequc rufo-albislate nigro-brunneo-lineatis ; pectore 

 rectioneqiie ante alas suboclireis, 'nigro-brunneo-virgatis; ventre linmneo-flavo, nigro-brunnco- 

 virgato ; rostro subviride-fusco umbrato ; tarsis antice flavo-virescentibns, postlce ochreis ; oculis 

 bruuneo-aurantiis. 



Cancrophagus gutturalis, Stnkh, Rep. of Exped. App. page 57. 



Colour. — The upper and lateral parts of the head, neck, and body, also 

 the wings and tail pale blackish purple, and all, except the quill feathers, 

 distinctly glossed with green; the primary and secondary quill coverts narrowly 

 tipped with white. Chin and throat dirty white, and variegated with large 

 blackish-brown stripes so arranged as to form three more or less distinct 

 loniiitudinal lines ; the breast and sides of neck immediately in front of 

 shoulders sienna-yellow, blotched with brownish black stripes; belly yellowish 

 brown, variegated with lengthened longitudinal blackish brown stripes ; 

 flanks the same colour as the back. Eyes brownish orange. Base of upper 

 mandible and most of lower mandible oil-green ; the remaining parts dull 

 umber-brown. Tarsi anteriorly oil-green, posteriorly ochre-yellow ; toes 

 ochre-yeilow, tinged with oil-green. 



Form, &c. — Figure rather slender. Feathers of neck rather long, wiry, 

 and decomposed; sides of head in front of eyes bare; bill rather compressed, 

 conical, and pointed. Wings inclined to pointed, and when folded reach 

 nearly to the tip of the tail ; the tertiary quill feathers nearly as long as the 

 primaries, the first and second primary quill feathers equal and longest, the 

 third rather shorter. Tail short, and slinhtly rounded. Tarsi rather short, 

 anteriorly scutellated, posteriorly coated with several series of small scales ; 

 toes long, and moderately strong ; claws rather strong, slightly curved, and 

 pointed. 



