GENUS HE ROD I AS (Bote). 



HIS branch of the Heron family is found in every part of the world, and most of those belonging to 

 Australia are identical with species found in India. 



BERODIAS riCATA (Gould). 



PIED EGRET. Genus: Herodias. 



rnKE graceful contour and Lovely plumage characteristic of these birds are not wanting in this the least 

 known of the species. The least known because rarest of Egrets, another difficulty in writing of 

 it is the circumstance that the restricted locality to which it belongs is yet almost a terra incognita to 

 naturalists. One or two explorers to the northern parts of Australia have succeeded in procuring specimens 

 of the Pied Egret, and contribute some scant information upon its habits, with which we must be content 

 for the present. Gilbert found it in the neighbourhood of Port Essington, where it inhabits the inland 

 swamps, and associates together in small families, often in company with other species. On the islands at 

 the head of Van Diemen's Gulf it was found to be very numerous. 



A dissection of the stomachs showed them to be capacious and membranous ; they contained 

 morsels of fish, aquatic insects, and their larva}, touhl .) 



Upper part of the head, occiput, occipital plumes, the whole of the plumage of the body, wings 

 and tail, bluish slaty-black ; chin, neck, chest, and some of the lanceolate feathers depending therefrom, 

 white ; some few of the lanceolate feathers of the neck and breast have one web white, the other bluish 

 slaty-black ; the remainder are the same colour as the bod} r ; bill, legs, and feet, greenish-yellow. 



The young birds are easily recognisable by having the whole of the under surface white. 



Total length, 17 inches. 



Habitats : Port Darwin and Port Essington, Gulf of Carpentaria. {Ramsay.) 



