ABBEID^. 285 



Ardea melanocephala, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 10100. 

 „ „ Sliarpe & Dresser's Birds of Europe, pi. 17. 



This Heron is found sparingly about humid places in 

 Great Namaqua and Damara Land, and in the lagoons 

 on the south-west coast. Axel also found it common in 

 Ondonga on his arrival there in the month of November : 

 there was then no water in the vleys ; and these birds 

 were feeding exclusively in the fields, and chiefly on grass- 

 hoppers ; but the ordinary food of this species also com- 

 prises fish, reptiles, rats, and mice. 



These Herons perch upon trees when there are any 

 within reach. 



The irides are yellow, as is also the bare space round 

 the eyes ; the upper mandible of the bill is liver-brown ; 

 the lower mandible is of a dark horn-colour at the edges, 

 the point is greenish, and the remainder of the mandible 

 yellowish ; the legs and toes are dark blue-black, the 

 latter being greenish on the under surface. 



334. Ardea goliat, Temm. Goliatt Heron. 



Ardea goliat, Temminck's PI. Ool. pi. 474. 

 Ardea goliath, Layard's Cat. No. 576. 



„ „ Chapman's Travels in S. Afr., App. p. 418. 



„ „ Finsoh & Hartlaub's Vbgel Ost-Afriia's, p. 674. 



Ardea goliat, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 10107. 



These fine Herons are not uncommon in the Lake- 

 regions, from whence they make temporaiy and solitary 

 excursions into Damara Land during the wet season. 

 I have met with them on the rivers Okavango and 

 Teoughe, at Lake Ngami, and thence eastward along the 

 river Botletle. 



