VERTEBRATA FROM MADAGASCAR. 497 



Comoro Islands, and must undoubtedly be used for the resident Grey- 

 Heron of Madagascar, which is characterized by dark grey upper 

 parts, very stout bill, and very short wing-tip — the primaries, 

 exceeding the secondaries by only 35 mm. The bare parts in the 

 adult, according to Wulsin's notes, were colored as follows: — feet 

 and tarsus greyish yellow; bare tibia, bright pink (this still shows 

 in the skin as a garter-like marking around the leg); bill light 

 yellow, below, darker above; skin around eye, greenish. 



36. Ardea humbloti Milne Edwards and Grandidier, 

 One fine adult d^, Bcrevo, Siribihina River, July 9. 



37. Egretta ALBA (Linne) sub. sp.? 



Two adult males, southern end of Lake Alaotra, and Upper Siribi- 

 hina River, July 5, and September 25. 



The specimen taken September 25 at the southern end of Lake 

 Alaotra, is in full breeding plumage, with a long train of dorsal plumes, 

 extending 175 mm. beyond the tail. Its bill is black except at the base 

 where it is yellowish; the bare tibia is black. The other specimen 

 is apparently adult, or perhaps a bird of the previous year, but is not 

 in breeding plumage, having no ornamental dorsal plumes. Its bill 

 is wholly yellow. Both are small as compared with European skins, 

 as the following measurements show; they differ but little in size 

 from Australian specimens. 



Mathews in Birds of Australia uses the name Herodias alba syrmata- 

 phorus Gould for the Australian form, and comments on the difficulty 

 of satisfactorily dividing the Great White Egret into geographical 

 subspecies. 



African examples are also small, but Reichenow, (Die Vogel Afrikas), 

 says that all that he has examined have yellow bills at all seasons. 



The name the iSIadagascan form should bear, must, I think, be 

 decided when much more material is available. Our two skins 

 afford the following measurements: — M. C. Z. 77,431 cf adult (in 

 breeding plumage): wing, 380; tail, 142.; tarsus, 149.; culmen 108. 

 M. C. Z. 77,430 cf (adult?), (in non-breeding plumage): wing, 365.; 

 tail, 138; tarsus, 160; culmen 110. 



