PLATE XXII. 



ARB E A SUMATRANA (Raffles.) 



GREAT-BILLED HERON. Genus: Ardea. 



THIS Great-Billed Heron in a solitary bird only to be found in the most secluded creeks or in the open 

 spaces among the mangroves, and is correspondingly shy and watchful, so that the capturing of one 

 dead or alive is a matter of no little difficultv. Gilbert found it breeding in the Cobum Peninsula in February- 

 " The nest was built in an upright fork of a large and lofty melaleuca (ti-tree), at about eighty feet from 

 the ground, and was formed of an outer layer of very strong sticks, with a few small twigs as a lining, and 

 contained two eggs of a light ash-grey. The bird when discovered appeared very reluctant to leave the 

 nest, and instead of the harsh croak usually uttered by it, emitted, on this occasion, a note drawn out to a 

 considerable length, and at times resembling distant thunder, which was suddenly changed to a sound very 

 like the groan of a person in extreme agony." (Gould.) 



An egg from Dr. Flutter's collection, taken in the Moluccas, is light-bluish green, a very long oval, 

 and measures 2 inches 8 lines by 1 inch 7\ lines. 



Head, neck, and all upper surfaces, vinous-brown, a few of the back feathers with a faint line of 

 white down the centre, and the primaries and tail, washed with grey ; chin, white ; front of the neck and 

 all the under surface, greyish-brown, the lengthened plumes on the lower part of the neck and chest with a 

 stripe of white down the centre ; irides, yellow ; bill, blackish-brown ; basal half of the low mandible, 

 yello wish- white ; apical, half yellow ; legs and feet, dark greenish-grey ; hinder part of the tarsi and inside 

 of the feet, yellowish-grey. (Gould.) 



Total length, 37 inches. 



Habitats : Port Darwin and Port Essington : Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay District, 

 Richmond and Clarence River Districts, New South Wales. (Ramsay.) 



ARDEA CINEEEA (Linn.). 



COMMON HERON. Genus : Ardea. 



OF all the Ardeas this one has the most restricted habitat in Australia, though, if Mr. Blyth is l ight in 

 considering it identical with the Ardea cinerea of India and Europe, this species enjoys an extensive 

 range over the whole world. 



So far as this local species is concerned, nothing is yet known of its habits or economy. 



The egg is of a uniform light green, the surface minutely spotted or otherwise minutely marked 

 with lines. Length 2\ inches ; breadth I inch 6 lines. 



Forehead and upper portion of the crest, white ; sides of the neck and lower portion of the crest, 

 deep glossy black; neck, white, washed with vinous and with a series of lanceolate marks of black disposed 

 alternately down the front ; all the upper surface, wings, and tail, dark grey, the lanceolate feathers of the 

 back fading into white ; edge of the wings, buffy-white ; primaries and secondaries, dark slate-colour ; flanks 

 and under surface of the wings, grey ; chest and abdomen, white, separated from the grey of the flanks by a 

 series of black feathers ; under tail-coverts and thighs, white ; bill, yellow ; tarsi, olive. (Gould.) 



The young bird has the whole of the crown of the head, black; all upper surfaces, greyish-brown, 

 and under surfaces, striated with white brown. 



Habitats : Richmond and Clarence River Districts, New South Wales, Victoria and South 

 Australia. (Ramsay.) 



