Birds of Celebes: Ardeidae. 
817 
Nest and eggs. Unknown. 
Distribution. N. Australia (Gould b I, Eamsay b 3)-, New Guinea (D’Albertis c 5); Aru 
(Wallace d 1, d 2, Eosenb. c 5); Timorlaut (Eiedel c 7); Amboina (fide Schlegel 
c 5); Celebes: — Southern Peninsula (Teijsmann el, c7, Weber c 9], Northern Pen- 
insula (Eosenb. c 3, e 4). 
This rare Heron was discovered in Celebes first by von Eosenberg at 
Lake Limbotto in 1863 — 64, when he obtained a single example; subsequently 
five specimens were collected by Teijsmann in the Macassar District, and three 
(one adult and two young) by Prof. Weber in October, 1888, at Lake Tempe. 
Teijsmann’s specimens, which were described by Schlegel as a distinct species, 
are held by Mr. Biittikofer on good grounds (cl, c 9) to be the young of 
Gould’s Herodias picata. Prof. Weber’s acquisition of an adult specimen in 
the full plumage of A. picata seems to prove the correctness of this view. 
Dr. Sharpe, who in his Catalogue of the Herons has overlooked Mr. 
Biittikofer’s reference to Prof. Weber’s specimens, as well as giving a some- 
what confused synonymy, takes a different view; according to this ornithologist 
Notophoyx picata is one species, and the form with the under surface white a 
second species, N. aruensis (Gray); North Australia is indicated as the habitat of 
the former, and N. Australia to Aru and Celebes as that of N. aruensis (though, 
if the synonymy were correct, many localities would have to be added to the 
range of N. picata, and Celebes should be queried in that of N. aruensis). 
Dr. Sharpe has examined and described a young example of N. picata, and this 
is different from the white-bodied N. aruensis, while the two specimens of the 
latter in the British Museum do not appear to be immature; they are, there- 
fore, held to be distinct. Seasonal and sexual (the female is undescribed) dif- 
ferences — if any — are not taken into consideration, nor, in our opinion, is 
sufficient room allowed for the supposition of immaturity, i. e birds in second 
plumage. If Sharpe’s view be correct, then both species, N. picata and aruensis, 
belong to Celebes. Like Gould, Salvador!, and Biittikofer, we do not 
believe them to be two distinct species. 
The Pied Egret is a well marked species, and its slaty black plumage with 
white throat, neck and gorget easily distinguishes it from other Herons. Nothing 
seems to have been recorded about its habits. In Australia it is only known 
from the North; here Gilbert discovered it among the swamps near Port Essington 
and found it in numbers on the islands in Van Diemen’s Gulf. From its dis- 
tribution it appears to be rather of Papuan than of Australian origin. Celebes 
marks its western bounds so far as is yet known. 
349. NOTOPHOYX NOVAE HOLLANDIAE (Lath.). 
White-fronted Heron. 
a. Ardea novae-hollandiae (1) Lath., Ind. Om. 1790, H, 701; (II) Gould, B. Austr. 1848, 
VI, pi. 53; (3) Pucher., Eev. Zool. 1851, 565; (4) Schl., Mus. P.-B., Ardeae, 1863, 
Meyer & Wiglesworth. Birds of Celebes (Dec. 9*1' 1897). jq 3 
