ARDEID^. 293 



I never met with this species in Damara or Great 

 Namaqua Land ; but it is not uncommon on the rivers 

 Okavango and Teoughe, and also at Lake Ngami. It 

 inhabits marshy districts, v^^here it hides closely, coming 

 out on the approach of night to feed on small fish and 

 reptiles, and also on insects and moUusca. It is found 

 singly or in pairs. 



The iris is yellow*, as is also the lore; the bill is yellow, 

 but with a tinge of brownish on the upper mandible ; 

 the legs and toes are greenish yellow. 



[I have not seen any examples of this bird from South-western 

 Africa ; but Mr. Andersson's memoranda contain a carefully 

 worded description of this species, which appears to confirm 

 the correctness of his identificationj if it was taken from a 

 specimen of his own procuring. 



It is, however, very easy to mistake for this species, on a super- 

 ficial examination, its nearly allied South-African congener 

 Ardetta podiceps (Bon.) . — Ed.] 



345. Nycticorax aegyptius (Hasselq.). European Night Heron. 



Ardea nycticorax, Gould's Birds of Europe, pi. 279. 

 Nycticorax griseun, Layard's Oat. No. 592. 



This species is pretty frequent in the Lake-country; 

 it occurs in Ondonga in the wet season, and is recorded 

 as having been obtained on the Orange River. In 

 Damara Land I have only observed it very rarely, and 

 always in immature plumage. It feeds on fish, reptiles, 

 aquatic insects, slugs, &c. 



In the adult bird the iris is crimson-red; the ex- 



* [In another of Mr. Andersson's MS. notes he speaks of the iris of this 

 species as being cherry-coloured ; but there is no doubt that its usual colour 

 is yellow. — Ed.] 



