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Order GRALL^.J 



[Fam. ARDEID^. 



AEDEA NOViE HOLLANDIiE. 



(WHITE-FRONTED HERON.) 



White-fronted Heron, Phillip, Voy. Hot. Bay, i. p. 163, pi. 27 (1789) 

 Ardea novw liollandm^ Lath. Gen. Ind. ii. p. 701 (1790, ex Phillip). 

 Ardea letwops, Wagl. Syst. Av. Ardea, sp. 17 (1827). 

 Herodias novw liollandm, Gray, Cat^^Grallce Brit. Mus. p. 80 (1844). 

 Demiegretta novce hollandice, Gray, Hand-1. of B. iii. p. 28 (1871). 



Native name, — Matuku-moana. 



Ad. snprh- dilute schistaceo-cinereus^ pileo cristato saturatiore : interscapulio scapulai'ibusque pallidioribus^ 



cinereis^ quasi strigatis : tcctricibus alarum dilute cinereis : remigibus schistaceo-nigricantibus^ secun- 

 dariis clare cinereo lavatis : rectricibus schistaceo-cinereis; versus apicem brunnescentibus : froiite et 

 supercilio lato^ facie laterali et gutture toto albis : regione parotica et collo laterali cinereis : subtus 

 pallide cinereus, collo undique saturatiore^ jugulo medio et imo pallide rufescente : subalaribus pallide 

 cinereis_, albicantibus : regione oculari pallide virescenti-flava : rostro nigro, versus basin mandibulse 

 albicante : pedibus flavicantibas, tarsis imis digitisque virescentibus ; iride Isete flava. 



Adult, Forehead, space round the eyes, and throat Avhite ; crown of the head dark cinereous or bluish grey, 

 the occipital feathers rather elongated, and lighter ; sides of the head, neck, and all the upper parts 

 bright cinereous, "with a warm purplish tinge; the back ornamented with a series of long lanceolate 

 plumes of a lighter colour, some of which extend beyond the scapulars \ down the fore neck a stripe of 

 buff, changing below to yellowish brown; the long plumes overlapping the breast very soft in texture, 

 and of a roseate purple tint ; underparts generally pale cinereous brown, slightly tinged with purple ; 

 quills and tail-feathers dark slate-grey. Irides bright yellow; edges of eyelids, bare part of lores, and 

 membrane surrounding the angle of the mouth pale greenish yellow ; bill black, the lower mandible 

 whitish towards the base ; legs yellow, tinged more or less with dusky green on the toes and lower part 

 of tarsi; claws pale brown. Length 25'5 inches; extent of wings 42; wing, from flexure, 12; tail 5; 



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bill, along the ridge 3, along the edge of lower mandible 4; bare tibia 2; tarsus 3'5; middle toe and 

 claw 2*6; hind toe and claw 1-75. 



Young, Differs from the adult in having more white about the head and neck, and a darker tinge of brown 

 on the underparts ; the dorsal plumes, moreover, are scanty, and the delicate purplish tint on the breast 



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is altogether wanting. 



The White-fronted Heron is very sparingly dispersed over the New-Zealand coasts ; but, according 

 to Gould, it is very abundant over every part of Tasmania, the Colonies of New South Wales, 

 South Australia, and Swan River. " Low sandy beaches washed by the open ocean, arms of 

 the sea, and the sides of rivers and lagoons, both in the interior of the country and near the 



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