ARDEIDJE. 739 



sac ; the oesophagus is very wide ; the intestines long and slender, 

 with only one minute csecum. 



They have all several remarkable patches of dense down on 

 the breast and groins, called Powder-down patches by Bartlett ; 

 these abound in a greasy powder which is secreted by the 

 down, or rather consists of the abortive quill-shafts broken up. It 

 is evidently used to render the feathers impervious to water, 

 supplying the place, partly, of the oil-glands of other birds. 



Gen. Ardea, Linnasus, (as restricted.) 



Char. — Bill elongate, straight, thick, compressed, pointed ; the 

 upper mandible with a groove from the nostrils, evanescent 

 towards the tip ; nostrils near the base narrow, longitudinal, par- 

 tially concealed by membrane; wings moderately long, the 2nd, 

 3rd, and 4th quills usually sub-equal and longest ; tail short, even ; 

 tarsus lengthened, usually scutellate in front ; toes long ; outer 

 toe connected to the middle one by a web ; claws long, that of 

 the middle toe with the inner margin produced, and pectinated. 

 Of large size, usually grey above, with the neck moderately long 

 and slender, and the feathers of the lower neck and breast 

 lengthened and pendent. 



The first is a bird of rare occurrence, and of gigantic size ; 

 it has been separated by Bonaparte as Ardeomega. It has the 

 bill very stout, straight, slightly turned up towards the point. 



921. Ardea goliath, Temminck. 



Temm., PI. Col. 474 ?— KiipPELL, Faun. Abyss, pi. 26 ?— A. 

 nobilis, Bltth — Blyth, Cat. 1634— Darria anjan, Beng. 



The Giant Heron. 



Descr. — The adult bird has the upper plumage dark blue grey ; 

 top of the head (with short occipital crest) dark brown ; sides of 

 the head, with the whole neck, chesnut brown, darker posteriorly ; 

 chin and throat white ; neck in front white with black streaks ; 

 breast and abdomen dark chesnut brown. 



The young bird is dull grey above, the top of the head, ear- 

 coverts, and the back of the neck, pale rufous cinnamon colored, 



