i860.] Ornithology of Amoy. 261 



the speciosa from Java or the leucoptera from Bengal, and 

 now, having 1 satisfied nvyself, I will endeavour to shew the 

 difference. In the first place on comparing our Ardeola with 

 the description of A. speciosa in " Horsfield's Researches in 

 Java," the distinction is at once apparent. We begin with 

 ours. Description of male shot 30th May. Bill black for 

 nearly one half from the apex, middle portion chrome yellow, 

 base and cere indigo-grey. Legs greenish-chrome. Irides 

 orange-yellow. Head and neck Indian-red, changing into 

 purple as it descends to the back. Throat, median line of 

 under neck, belly, ramp and wings white. Back having long 

 loose bluish-grey feathers decomposed and hair-like. Long 

 and hair-like feathers also spring from the lower neck, nearly 

 covering the blue feathers of the breast. Crest composed of two 

 long subulated feathers 4|- long, with several shorter ones 

 fitting into the grooves on their under sides ; these feathers 

 are the same colour as the head. Now Horsfield states that 

 the A. speciosa has " in its complete dress the head above, &c. 

 isabella-yellow with a rufous tint * * * * colour of the 

 back intensely black * * * * feet dark yellowish-brown 

 * * * the crest consists of from 4 to 6 greatly lengthened 

 linear plumes of a very pure milk white colour. The bill is 

 dusky at the base." 



This comparison of the adult plumage is surely convincing of 

 non-identity of the two birds. The immature and winter 

 plumage would appear to be more similar, but even here there 

 are differences. In the Malayan species apud Horsfield " the 

 wings and the tail are pure white," in ours they are more or 

 less darked with blackish. In his " the feet and the upper 

 mandible throughout its whole length, are black." In ours 

 the former are bright yellowish-green with brownish claws, 

 and the bill pale liver-brown, black on the apical quarter of 

 its length ; the naked or loral space greenish-yellow, bluish 

 at the base of the bill. 



It will thus be seen that our species is perfectly distinct from 

 the Malayan, A. speciosa, and for its non-identity with the 

 Bengal species I give the testimony of Mr. Blyth who re- 



