LECCOPHOYX. FLORIDA. lliO 



Range in British Guiana. Demerava [}frConneU coUedion) ; 

 Bartica ( Whitely) -, Georgetown {Quelch) ; Waini River (^Beehe). 



Extralimital Range. South America generally to Chile, T^'est 

 India Islands, Central America, and the United States. 



Habits. Scliomburgk remarks (Reis. Guian. iii. p. 753) that this 

 species is found in large numbers on the coast, where it associates 

 with other species and enlivons the coast. In nesting-habits it 

 resembles 7^/^ ruhra. It builds its nest on bushes near the coast, 

 or on the borders of the river-mouths. 



Mr. C. A. Lloyd (Timehri (2) xi. p. 9, 1897) records the fol- 

 lowing observations on this species : — " Mr. D. Mackintosh, who 

 has paid much attention to the coast-birds of Surinam, asserts that 

 the Scarlet Ibis or Currie-Currie, Eudocimus ruber, never builds a 

 nest of any sort, but takes forcible possession of those of the small 

 White YigretjAnha candidissima, for the purpose of depositing its 

 eggs. He states that he has often witnessed this Ibis in the act 

 of tumbling the youno- Eo'rets out of their nests. The small Euret 

 breeds in vast ' rookeries ' alono- the sea-coast, and Mr. Mackin- 

 tosh has seen several square acres of low bourlda bushes dotted 

 with their nests. Durino- the breedino-season large numbers of 

 young Egrets fall a prey to the black Carrion Vulture, Catharista 

 atrata, which may be seen hovering around the breeding-grounds, 

 on the look out for a chance to swoop down on some unguarded 

 nest and carry off its contents. The old birds vigorously defend 

 their nests against the attacks of the Vulture, but as the Scarlet 

 Ibis appears on the scene, tliey immediately desert their charges 

 and fly away. . . . 



" The small Egret makes a very frail platform-nest of twigs, 

 and its eggs, which are of a dull pale blue colour, are a little 

 larger than a Pigeon's. Their breeding-season in Surinam is in 

 the months of February and March, but in this country it is said 

 to be from July to August ; possibly there may be two seasons in 

 the year." 



Genus FLORIDA Baird. 



Florida Baiixl, Birds North America, p. 701, ls"i^. Typo F. ccentlea 

 (Linn.). 



This genus is cliaracteri/ed by the elongated and hair-like 

 occipital pinnies, the scapular or dorsal feathers, which extend 

 beyond tlie end of the tail, and the ornamental feathers on the 

 fore-neck. 



