ARDEID.E. 749 



species of this group, from the islands and Oceanica. Gray has 

 another A. albolineata, which he however doubtfully separates 

 from pannosa. A. gularis, Boie ; A. ardesiaca, Wagler ; A. schis- 

 tacea, Licht. ; and A. calceolata, Dubus, are African members 

 of the genus ; and A. coerulea, L., and A. rufescens, Gmelin, from 

 America, also appear to belong to this group. 



A. picata, Gould, appears to me to belong to a very different 

 group, not far from Butorides; and Gray has A. aruensis from the 

 Aru islands, very close to the former bird. 



Gen. Buphds, Boie. 



Syn. Bubulcus, Pucheran. 



Char. — Bill somewhat short, stout, slightly curved along the 

 culmen, smooth ; feet longer, otherwise as in Egretta : assumes 

 golden-yellow, hair-like plumes, on the head, breast, and back 

 during the breeding season. 



This is the least aquatic in its habits of all the Herons, feeding 

 chiefly among cattle in grass meadows or plains. There are two 

 or three closely allied species. 



929. Buphus coromandus, Boddaert. 



Ardea, apud Boddaert — PI. Enl. 910 — A. caboga, franklin 

 — Stkes, Cat. 175— Jerdon, Cat. 308— Bltth, Cat. 1640 — 

 A. affinis, Horsfield — A. russata, Temminck — A. bubulcus 

 from India, Auct. — Dona-bagla and Gai-bagla, H. and Beng.- — 

 Soorkhia-bagla of some — Samti-konga, Tel. 



The Cattle Egret. 



Descr. — In summer dress, the whole head, which is crested, 

 neck, and breast, rich golden buff, except the chin, and a narrow 

 median line on the neck; dorsal plumes of the same hue, very 

 filamentose and decomposed, about 8 or 9 inches long ; elongated 

 feathers of the breast white at the base, yellow at the tip ; the 

 rest of the plumage pure white. 



Bill deep orange yellow ; orbitar region yellowish-pink ; irides 

 pale yellow ; legs whitish-green on the tibia and to a little below 

 the knee ; rest of the tarsus blacki.sh-green, with a reddish tinge 



