HERODIONES. 219 



much less than that of either the eastern or western forms of A. alba 

 (which have a black bill in summer^ and a yellow bill in winter). 

 Although the Little Egret is a smaller bird than A. intermedia, it has 

 a longer bill. Measured from the frontal feathers the bill of the 

 smaller species varies from 3^ to 3 inches, whilst that of the larger 

 species varies from 3 to 2| inches. 



Figures : Dresser, Birds of Europe, vi. pi. 399. 



The Little Egret has not been obtained in Yezzo ; but it is a resi- 

 dent in Southern Japan. There are eight examples in the Pryer 

 collection from Yokohama (Seebohm, Ibis, 1879, p. 27). The 

 examples procured by Dr. Siebold were doubtless obtained near 

 Nagasaki (Temminck and Schlegel, Fauna Japonica, Aves, p. 115). 



The Little Egret is only an accidental visitor to the British Islands, 

 but its breeding-range extends from South Europe across Persia, 

 India, Burma, and China to Japan. 



205. ARDEA COROMANDA. 



(EASTERN BUFF-BACKED HERON.) 



Cancroma cwomanda, Boddaert, Tabl. PI. Enl. p. 54 (1783). 



The Eastern representative of the Buff-backed Heron appears to 

 be specifically distinct from its Western ally, and it is supposed that 

 the ranges of the two species do not coalesce. The Eastern Buff- 

 backed Heron differs from A. bubulcus in being rather larger in its 

 size, and somewhat more brilliant in the colour of its nuptial plumes. 

 In breeding-dress the chestnut-buff plumes on the head, nape, breast, 

 and scapulars distinguish it from the other Japanese species. In 

 winter plumage the length of the wing from carpal joint, which 

 varies from 9 to 10 inches, distinguishes it from every other Japanese 

 White Egret except perhaps from very small examples of A. garzetta. 

 The colour of its bill, which is yellow at all seasons of the year, 

 prevents it from being confused with A. garzetta, in which the bill 

 is always black. There is, however, another small white Egret which 

 is found in China (and possibly in the Malay Archipelago and 

 Australia, if A. immaculata be the same species), and which may 

 probably occasionally visit Japan, which is about the same size in 

 length of wing. A. eulophotes may be recognized in summer by its 



