THE CHINESE POND-HERON. 
253 
618. AEDEOLA PRASINOSCELES. 
THE CHINESE POND-HEEON. 
Ardeola prasinosceles, Swinh. Ihis, I860, p, 64 ; id. P. Z. S. 1871, p. 413 ; Hume, 
S. F. ii. p. 483 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 160 ; JDavid et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 443 ; Hume 
^ Dav. 8. F. vi. p. 481 ; Anders. Yunnan Exped. p. 689; Hume, 8. F. viii. 
p. 114. Ardea leucoptera, apud Hume, 8. F. viii. p. 161. 
Description. — Male and female in summer plumage. Chin and throat pure 
white ; the whole head^ a long pointed occipital crest and the whole neck 
rich vinous chestnut ; breast-feathers very long and soft, deep chestnut 
tinged with purple ; remainder of lower plumage white ; back and 
scapulars with very long disintegrated feathers black tinged with purple ; 
the whole of the wings, tail, rump and upper tail-coverts white ; the wing- 
coverts slightly tinged with buff, and the primaries mottled with brown at 
their tips. 
In nonhreeding -plumage both sexes resemble A. grayi very closely ; the 
back, scapulars and tertiaries are, however, a richer brown with a tinge of 
chocolate or rufous, whereas in A. grayi these parts are a plain brown tinged 
with ashy. 
Length about 18 inches, tail 3'1, wing 8*6, tarsus 2*2, bill from gape 3*4, 
crest 4. 
I have drawn up the above description from a series of Mr. Swinhoe^s 
birds in Mr. Seebohm^s collection. The only point of difference that I 
can find in the nonbreeding-plumage between this and the preceding 
species is that pointed out above. 
In a male bird shot by Mr. Davison in April the irides were bright 
yellow ; one third of the bill from tip black, then yellow, gradually 
shading to pale blue at the base of upper mandible; facial skin, gape 
and base of lower mandible greenish yellow; feet pale orange; legs and 
nude portions of tibia similar, but with a pinkish tinge; claws pale 
brownish green. 
An allied species from Java and Borneo is A. speciosa ; in breeding- 
plumage it has the head, back and sides of the neck pale ferruginous buff, 
the crest white, and the breast chestnut. 
The Chinese Pond- Heron was obtained by Mr. Davison in the southern 
portion of Tenasserim, where it appears to be rare. 
It is met with in Southern China and in Cochin China ; and Mr. Davison 
observed it at Tonka in the Malay peninsula. Dr. Anderson also procured 
it at Bhamo in Independent Burmah. 
Plate 911 of the PI. Enlum. represents an Ardeola in winter plumage; 
and it will always, I imagine, remain a matter of doubt to which of the 
