292 BIRDS OF DAMABA LAND. 



The male bird only differs from the female in its 

 darker tints. 



The iris is red or reddish brown in adult, and yellowish 

 in immature birds ; the bill in adult birds is almost black, 

 shading at the base into bluish green, which is the colour 

 of the skin surrounding the eyes and at the corners of 

 the mouth ; in younger birds the bill is greenish yellow. 



The tibia, the front of the tarsus, and the upper surface 

 of the toes are yellowish brown, with a greenish tinge on 

 the tibia ; the back of the tarsus and the soles of the 

 toes are bright yellow. 



Measurements of a male and a female : — 



Male. Female, 



in. lin. in. lin. 



Entire leng-th 13 9 



Length of folded wing- ..61 



tarsus . . .19 



middle toe . . 18 



tail 2 1 



bill . ... 2 2 



1.3 

 6 

 1 9 



1 10 



2 2 

 2 2 



343. Butorides atricapilla (Afzel.). Black-headed Dwarf Heron. 



Ardea atricapilla, Layard's Cat. No. 587. 

 SutoriOes atricapilla, Gumey, in Ibis, 1870, p. 151. 



„ „ Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 10158. 



This Heron is not uncommon at Lake Ngami and its 

 watersheds, and also on the Okavango. 

 [This species has not been figured. — Ed.J 



344. Ardetta minuta (Linn.). European Little Bittern. 



Ardea minuta, Gould's Birds of Europe, pi. 282. 



„ „ Layard's Cat. No. 588. 



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



Ardetta minuta, Gray's Hand-list of Birds, No. 10148. 



