838 



Birds of Celebes : Ardeidae. 



Its nearest affinities are with Buhulcus ibis of Africa, Southem Europe and 

 S. E. Asia (Palestine) ; this bird has shorter toes and in summer yellow legs' 

 (in winter dark brown or dull blackish grey — Dresser), and some differences 

 in coloration when breeding. 



The changes in colour of the bill and feet according to the season in some 

 of these Eastern Herons are of a curious character; Hume has already written 

 on the subject (Str. F. 1878, VI, 473, 480). 



The following scheme shows the seasonal variation in the Celebesian Egrets: 



GENUS ARDEOLA Boie. 



Size small; the tarsus shorter than the middle toe and claw; the wings 

 white. The latter character, contrasting with the coloured plumage, at once 

 distinguishes it from the other Herons. 



^ 356. ARDEOLA SPECIOSA (Hoi sf.). 

 Sundan Squacco Heron. 



a. Ardea speciosa (1) Horsf., Tr. Linn. Soc. 1821, XrH, 189; (11) id., Zool. Research, in 



Java 1824, pi. ti2; (3) Less., Man. d'Oni. 1828, H, 240; (4) S. Mull., Reizen Lid. 

 Archip. 1858, II, 13; (5) Briigg., Abh. Ver. Bremen 1876, V, 96, 464; i^e^Rchw., 

 J. f. 0. 1877, 258, 277; (7) Rosenb., Malay. Archip. 1878, 278; (8) id., Zool. 

 Garten 1881, 167; (9) Platen, Gefied Welt 1887, 206. 



b. Ardea pseudoralloides (1) Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. (fide Rchw. a 6). 



c. Ardea malaccensis (1) Less., Tr. d'Orn. 1831, 573, pt. 



Ardeola speciosa (1) Gray, List Gen. B. 1841, 86; (2) Swinh., Ibis 1860, 65; (3) Blyth, 

 Ibis 1865, 38; (4) Gray, HL. 1871, IH, 30, Nr. 10138; (5) Wald, Tr. Z. S. 1872, 

 Vm, 98; (6) id. Ibis 1874, 149; (7) Salvad, Cat. Ucc. Borneo 1874, 351; 

 (8) Hume, Str. F. 1878, VI, 482; (9) Legge, B. Ceylon 1880, 1151; ('iO; Meyer, 



