ARDEA ATRICOLLIS. 
portion of the tibia, the tarsi, toes, and claws, greenish black. The base of the 
upper mandible, and the bare space before and behind each eye, gamboge- 
yellow, the remainder of the mandible liver-brown ; the lower mandible towards 
the tip reddish-brown, elsewhere light-yellow. Eyes gamboge-yellow. 
Young. 
The upper surface of the head and the back, and the sides of the neck, 
pearl-grey, with more or less of a rusty tint ; the sides of the head pearl- grey, 
tinted with greyish black; interscapulars pearl-grey, strongly tinted with 
clove-brown, and glossed with green. The scapulars and lesser wing coverts 
rusty pearl-grey ; the primary quill feathers coloured as in the adult, only the 
tint not so vivid ; the outer vanes of all the secondaries edged with pearl-grey ; 
edges of the shoulder and axilla white ; the outer vanes of the false wing 
feathers greenish black, the inner ones pearl-grey. Chin, sides of neck 
anteriorly, and throat rusty-white, the latter marked with a distinct longi- 
tudinal stripe of light yellowish brown ; lower part of throat and breast 
pale pearl-grey with a rusty tinge ; belly and vent yellowish white ; outer 
sides of thighs pearl-grey tinted with yellowish grey. Bill and legs coloured 
like those ot the adult, only the reddish-brown tint is more distinct. 
Form, &c.— Figure rather robust, resembling that of the common heron 
( Ardea major ') ; head bushy and with two or three feathers, each about six 
inches in length, hanging from the nape. Bill rather short, very strong, 
and pointed, the lower mandible rather longer than the upper. Wings 
rounded, and when folded, reach nearly to the tip of the tail, the second 
quill feather rather the longest, the first, third, and fourth rather shorter 
and equal, the remainder rather shorter, and not quite so long as the 
secondaries; the tertiary quill-feathers about an inch and a half shorter 
than the primaries. The scapulars nearest to the centre of the back 
elongated, many of them extending considerably beyond the base of the 
tail, and are narrow, pointed, and somewhat decomposed. The feathers of 
the sides of the neck in front of the wings are long, pointed, and pendent 
in front of the breast. Tail short and nearly equal, or only slightly rounded. 
Tarsi and toes robust, the former reticulated with large scales, the latter 
coated with transverse plates ; about an inch and a half of the lower part of 
tibia bare and covered with small scales. Claws strong, slightly curved, and 
pointed ; the outer and middle ones connected at the base by a distinct 
rudimentary web ; the hinder claw the longest, strongest, and most curved. 
