842 Birds of Celebes: Ardeidae. 



Zool. Erg. Weber's Eeise 1893, IH, 284; (35) M. & Wg., J. 1 0. 1894, 116; (36 j 

 Nehrk., t. c. 161; (37) M. & Wg., Abh. Mus. Dresd. 189B, Nr. 2, p. 20; (38) 

 Hart., Nov. Zool. 1896, 181; (39) Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1896, (2) XVI, 

 119; (40) Sharpe, Cat. B. 1898, XXVI, 158. 



c. Ardea ferruginea (1) Forster (nee Gm.), Descr. An. 274 (1844). 



d. ? Nycticorax garden! (1) S. Miill. (nee Gm.), Reiz. Ind. Arehip. 1858, pt. EL, 8. 



e. Nyctiardea caledonica (1) Gray, HL., 1871, m, 33, Nr. 10172. 



/. ? Nycticorax manillensis(?) (1) Everett, J. Str. Br. R. A. S. 1889, 190. 



"Swekko pakek tjatjing", or "'Swekko mera bertjatjing", Malay, Minahassa, Nat. Coll. 



"Condor baka", Tjamba Distr.. Platen 20. 



"Kaloang sagu", Banggai, Nat. Coll. 



For further synonymy and references cf. Salvadori 12, 31; Sharpe 40. 



Figure and descriptions. Gould //, .3; Sclilegel b 2; Salvadori 12; Buller 2,5; Sharpe 40. 



Adult. Head above, sides of oceiput, and hind neck slaty black; three very long 

 (150 — 210 mm) narrow nuchal feathers white, blackish at base; upper parts 

 cinnamon -rufous, palest on the rump, darkest and strongly tinged with vinous on 

 mantle, back, and scapulars, inclining to fawn-colour on face, ear-coverts, sides of 

 neck and of breast; chin, throat, middle of breast and under-parts white, the 

 longer under wing-coverts vinous grey or cinnamon; "bare space siuTounding the eye 

 greenish yellow; irides orange; bill in some specimens black, sUghtly tipped with 

 yellow, in others black with a streak of greenish yellow along the lower mandible, 

 and a wash of the same hue along the lower edge of the upper one; legs and feet 

 jonquil-yellow; claws black": Gould II (ad., Manado tua Id., 6. April, 1893: Nat. 

 Coll. -- C 12109). 



Young. Streaked with brown and isabelUne-buff: head above blacker brown with nan-ow 

 shaft-streaks; sides of head and neck less dark with broad buff centre-streaks; the 

 streaks changing into large terminal spots on the feathers of the back, scapulars, 

 wing-coverts, rump, remiges and tail; the wing-coverts and inner remiges laterally 

 vermiculated with cinnamon, tending to form bars; under-parts white, the feathers 

 broadly fringed with brown except on the abdomen and under tail-coverts ; "iris Ught 

 yellow; bill above brown, below greenish; feet grey": Platen 20 (juv., Manado, March, 

 1S71: Meyer — C 2009). 



Bird of second year. Intermediate between the above -described young and the adult: head 

 above black; no crest; upper parts rufous brown with some obscure dark cinnamon 

 spots on the scapulars; remiges greyish cinnamon-rufous, tipped with impure wliite, . 

 subterminally crossed with blackish, under-parts streaked with brown and fulvous or 

 white as in the young (Manado tua Id., May, 1894: Nat. Coll. — C 13356). 



Measurements (4 adults: N. Celebes). Wing 287—305 mm; tail 105—111; tarsus 80—85; 

 mid. toe and claw 78 — 83; exposed culmen 70 — 73 mm. 



Eggs. 4 in number; pale bluish gi-een: 50 — 55 X 37 — 40 mm (Austraha; North 26, who 

 gives a figure of the egg). Pale blue: 50 X 36 mm (Austraha: Nehrkorn MS.). 



Nest. "A loose structure of a few sticks placed crosswise over forks on the branches of 

 trees overhanging creeks, etc.; . . . taken by Mr. Alex. Morton fi'om some low 

 bushes on Schrapj^er Island, near Port Stephens" (E. P. Ramsay 26). 



Distribution. From Australia and Tasmania to New Zealand, New Caledonia and New 

 Guinea, west through Papuasia and the Moluccas to Celebes, Sangi Islands, North 

 Borneo, Timor and the Keeling Islands. 



For exact localities cf. Salvadori 12, 31, adding Lord Howe's Island 

 (Ramsay 17), Dana Id. near Timor (Gazelle Exp. 27), Great Sangi (Platen 24), 

 Djampea (Everett 38), Banggai (Nat. Coll. 37), and cancelling the New Hebrides. 



