ABDEID^ MBLANOPHOYX 71 



Ardea oalceolata, Du Bus, Bull. Acad. Brux. iv, p. 40, pi. 2 (1838) ; 



Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 307 (1867). 

 Ardea flavimana, Sundcv., Oefv. K. Vet. Akad, ForJi. StocTch. 1850, p. 



Ill [Mooi Kiver, Potchefstroom] ; Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 307 (1867). 

 JMelanophoyx ardesiaca, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxvi, p. 104 (1898) ; 



Bckhenow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 373 (1901). 



Description. Adult. — General colour above and below black 

 with a slight slaty tinge, especially on the long ornamental feathers 

 of the back and scapulars, and on the tips of the primaries ; the 

 ornamental feathers are narrow and lanceolate but not decomposed ; 

 they are developed on the hinder part of the crown and along the 

 hind neck and also at the base of the foreneck as well as on the 

 scapulars. 



Iris bright yellow ; bill black ; legs black ; toes yellow. 



Length 17; wing 10-5; tail 3-25; culmen 2-75; tarsus 3'6; 

 middle toe 28. 



The young bird is like the adult but has no development of 

 ornamental plumes. 



Distribution. — The Black Heron is spread over the greater part 

 of tropical Africa and Madagascar from Senegal and the White Nile 

 to Angola and Nyasaland. It is very rare south of the Zambesi 

 and has only been recorded from two localities, the neighbourhood 

 of Potchefstroom, where it was first obtained by Wahlberg, subse- 

 quently by Ayres on three occasions, and again by Barratt, and 

 at Durban Harbour, where it has been shot by Gordge, according to 

 the Woodwards. 



Habits. — Ayres, who obtained examples of the Black Heron in 

 the swamps near Potchefstroom, has made the following remark- 

 able observation. " This beautiful Heron has a curious habit whilst 

 feeding during the heat of the day and when the sun shines blazing 

 hot, of throwing one wing suddenly forward and holding it out so 

 that it shades a small portion of shallow water; the bird immediately 

 peers into the water searchingly and invariably makes a dart at 

 some unlucky little fish." 



Nothing is known about the nesting habits of this bird, but there 

 are three eggs of it from the Gambia in the collection of the 

 British Museum ; they are elongated, with both ends rather pointed, 

 and measure about 1'8 x 1'3. 



