176 MATHEWS — Birds of North and North-Wett AwbraU 



are a silent bird, and their flight is slow and graceful, taking; 

 from four to a dozen flaps it holds its wings out, and sails for 

 a short time. It rises from the water without difficulty, and 

 mounts high in a series of circles, but of not such a size as one 

 would expect. 



81. Herodias alba syrmatophora. White Egret. 



Herodias immaculata (Gould). Birds Austr., Vol. VI. , Pt. 

 58. 1846, Port Essington. 



No. 522 — $ . Length, 24.5 inches (7/11/86). 



Irides, straw-yellow; gape, lore, and cere, light yellow;. 

 upper mandible, as far as the posterior margins of the nostrils 

 on the culmen and for a short distance behind them on the 

 sides, black; on the culmen over the nostrils and on the cutting 

 edges just below them are marks of indistinct yellow; lower 

 mandible, with apical third and cutting edges, very dark 

 brown, almost black; remainder pale yellow, brightest poste- 

 riority, and shading into whitish horn anteriorly; inside of 

 tibia, inside and back of tarsus, soles of feet and of toes, pale 

 yellowish green; remainder of feet and legs (except on the 

 outside of the tibia, where there is a short greenish stripe), 

 black; claws, dark brown. 



81. Herodias alba svrmatophora. White Egret. 



Herodias syrmatopliorjiis (Gould). Birds Austr., Vol. VI.,. 

 Pt. 56, 1846, New South Wales. 



No. 421— $. Length, 24.0 inches (22/10/86). 



Trides, very pale yellow; eyelid, yellow; lores and skin 

 surrounding the eye, yellow, posteriorly shaded with green, 

 which colour is deepest under the eyes; bill, orange, with the 

 tip of the upper mandible horn coloured; legs and feet, black, 

 with a patch of greenish yellow on the inside of the tibia and 

 on the sole of the foot. 



No. 420— $ . Length, ,°.8.0 inches (23/10/86). 



Similar to the above, but with more yellowish colour on 



the tibia. 



82. Notopiioyx novaehqllandiae. White-fronted Heron. 



Ardea novaehollandiae (Latham). Index, Ornith., Vol. II.,. 

 p. 701. 1700. New South Wales. 



