162 BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



Total length 850 nun., cnlmen 158, wing 474, tail 194, tarsns 192, 

 middle toe and claw 123. 



An immature bird from the Abnry River differs in having the 

 neck grey, the absence of the black on the under surface, and the 

 ornamental plumes on the back. 



Breeding season. June (C A. Lloi/d). 



jXest. " It nests on trees " (Schomlnar/k). 



Eggs. Blue (C. A. Lloyd). 



Range in British Guiana. Abary River (McConnell collection) ; 

 Ru[)ununi River (Brown S)- Wliitely) ; Marooka, Essequebo River, 

 Cujuni River, Abary River (Beehe) ; Berbice River (QuelcJi). 



E.xtralimital Range. The remain(]er of South America to the 

 Straits of Magellan. 



Habits. Schomburgk remarks (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 572) that this 

 large Heron was mostl}'^ fomid solitary on the borders of the 

 rivers, walking against the stream. In mode of life it perfectly 

 aij[rees with our common Heron. It seems to be distributed over 

 the greater part of South America. It nests on trees, and its 

 flesh is tasty and fat. 



JMr. J. J. Quelcli (Timehri (2) ii. p. 3G5) met with this species 

 on the Abary River, and states that it is said to be plentiful in the 

 surrounding savannah during the rainy season ; but in the dry 

 weather they are difficult to find, and even more so to obtain. He 

 also observed it on the Berbice River (Timehri (2) iv. p. 334), 

 and remarks that it rose at times in front and kept well out of 

 range. 



Genus CASMERODIUS Glog. 



Casmerodiiis Gloger, Hand-u. Hilsfb. p. 412, 1842. Type C. egretta 

 (Gmel). 



This genus is separated by its large size, the absence of a nuchal 

 crest and ornamental pectoral plumes, and the long dorsal train 

 which extends far beyond the tip of the tail. 



101. Casmerodius egretta. 



American Egret. 



Ardea egretta Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. p. 629, 1789 (Cayenne) ; Salvin, 

 Ibis, 1886, p. 169 (Bartica Grove) ; Quelch, Timehri (2) v. p. 107, 

 1891 (Georgetown) ; Lloyd, op. cit. (2) xi. p. 9, 1897. 



