CASMERODIITS. 163 



ArJea luce Cab. in Si'lioml). Reis. Cxuian. iii. p. 752, ISJ'S. 



Herodias luce Brown, Canoe and Camp Life, p. 137, 1876 (Rupununi 



Savannas). 

 Herodias egretta Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mas. xxvi. pp. 95, 270, 1898; 



Beebe, Our Search for a Wilderness, p. 137, 1910 (Barimal, p. 28i< 



(Marooka), p. 352 (Abary). 

 Effvetta egretta Brabourne & Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 49, no. -±63, 1912. 



Adult male (in breeding-plumage). The entire plumage above 

 and below pure white with a long dorsal train o£ disintegrated 

 feathers. Bill rich chrome-yellow, sometimes tinged with green, 

 culmen black at tip ; legs and feet black ; iris yellow. 



Total length 820 mm., culmen 106, wing 375, tail 152, tarsus 153, 

 dorsal train 440. 



The description of the male is taken from an example obtained 

 at the Takutu Mountains. 



Adult female (in breeding-plumage). Similar to the adult male. 



Total length 790 mm., culmen 112, wing 350, tail 150, tarsus 130, 

 dorsal train 375. 



Male and female in winter plumage differ from the sunnner 

 plumage in the absence of the dorsal train. 



Breeding-season. June {€, A. Lloyd). 



Sest. Unrecorded in British Guiana. 



Eggs. Blue, being somewhat more pointed than those of Ardea 

 cocci (C A. Lloyd). 



Range in British Guiana. JJyi\'>er Takutu Mountains, TJnpununi 

 Savannas, Abary River, Anarica Eiver {McConneU collectioii) ; 

 Bartica (Whitely) ; Barima, Marooka, and Abary Rivers {Beebe) ; 

 Georgetown {Quelch). 



E.vtralimital Range. The remainder of Soutii America to tlie 

 Straits of Magellan, West India Islands, Central and North 

 America. 



Habits. Schomburgk remarks (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 752) that this 

 beautiful, large, dazzling, wbite Heron brigbtens and adorns tho 

 Savanna marshes and l)Ogs, where it is found in large numbers 

 amongst the other marsh-birds. I have only very rarely met with 

 it on the coast. Its niditication is unknown. 



Mr. Beebe (Our Search for a W'ilderness, ]ip. 137, 353) gives 

 tlie following note : — " American Egrets kept Hying ahead of us 

 for several miles, liemmed in liy the lofty walls of foliage, alighting 

 now and then and waiting for the steamer. At hist, when only 



.M 2 



