846 
Birds of Celebes: Ardeidae. 
Erg. Weber’s Reise 1893, III, 306; (6) Sharpe, Ibis 1894, 426; (7) id., Cat. B. 
1898, XXVI, 146. 
Nycticorax griseus (1) Strickl. ; (2) Gray, List Grallae Br. Mus. 1844, 84; (8) Swinh., 
Ibis 1861, 53; (4) id.. Ibis 1863, 423; (5) Hartl. &Fiiisch, P. Z. S. 1872, 105; 
(6) Wald., Tr. Z. S. 1872, YIII, 100; (7) Salvad., Cat. Ucc. Borneo 1874, 356; 
(8) Ecbw. , J. f. O. 1877, 237; (9) Hume & Davison, Str. F. 1878, VT, 484; 
(X) Dresser, B. Europe VI, 269, pi. 402 (1879); (11) Legge, B. Ceylon 1880, 
1165; (12) Tweedd., Orn. Works 1881, 199, 400, 413, 561; (13) Wardl. Rams., op. 
cit. 660; (14) Salvad., Orn. Pap. 1882, HI, 376; (15) W. Bias., Z. ges. Orn. 1886, 
166; (16) Oazin, Ann. Sc. Nat. 1887, (4) VH, 177; (17) St. John, Ibis 1889, 178; 
(18) Everett, J. Str. Br, R. A. S. 1889, 190; (19) Sharpe, Ibis 1890, 148, 285; 
(20) Steere, List Coll. B. & M. Philipp. 1890, 27; (21) Hagen, T. Ned. Aard. 
Genoots. 1890, (2) VU, 167; (22) Vorderm., N. T. Ned. Ind. 1891, L, 408; (23) 
Styan, Ibis 1891, 327, 493; (24) Salvad., Ann. Mus. Civ. Gen. 1891, (2) XH, 77; 
(25) Wiglesw., Aves Polyn. 1892, 69; (26) De La Touche, Ibis 1892, 489; 
(27) Styan, Ibis 1893, 434; (28) Hose, t. c. 420; (29) Newton, Diet. B. 1893, 420. 
f. Nyctiardea nycticorax (1) Swinh., P. Z. S. 1872, 413; (2) David & Oust., Ois. Chine 
1877, 414; (3) Oates, B. Brit. Burmah 1883, H, 259; (4) id., ed. Hume’s Nests 
& Eggs 1890, HI, 258. 
g. Nycticorax aegyptins (Hasselq.); (1) Brligg., Abh. Ver. Bremen 1876, V, 98. 
h. Nycticorax griseus naevius (1) Brd., Brew. &Ridgw., Water B. N. Am. 1884, I, 55. 
For further synonymy and references cf. Naumann a II; Salvador! 6; Dresser X; 
Stejneger e 3; Sharpe e 7. 
Figures and descriptions. Naumann all; Dresser X; Legge 11; Oates f 3; etc., etc. 
Adult. Head above, mantle, back, scapulars and innermost remiges black, strongly 
glossed with green; three or more very long narrow occipital plumes wliite; 
neck, a broad superciliary stripe, face, fore neck and under parts, with 
lower back, rump and upper tail-coverts hght grey; wings and tail browner 
grey; “his variable — deep red, crimson, scarlet; bill — upper mandible black, loral 
skin and gape bluish green, base of under mandible greenish yellow, tip black; legs 
and feet pale orange-yellow, in some yellow” (Legge 10); udng 280; tail 110; 
tarsus 73; mid. toe & claw 80; exp. cuhnen 74 mm (? Java: v. Schierbrand). 
Young. Brown, streaked with fulvous, the sti’eaks spreading out into broad terminal spots 
on the remiges, wing-coverts and back, as m Nycticorax cakdonicus juv., from which 
it is not easily distinguished. The greater wing-coverts and remiges are grey-brown 
with white terminal spots; in caledmiicus they are dusky brown, vermiculated or 
barred on the outer web with rufous; the tail is greyer, in caledmiicus browner; the 
general tint is greyer than m cakdonicus (juv. Nr. 11386). 
Remark. Perhaps the best means of distinguishing the two forms is found in the pro- 
portions of the toe and tarsus: according to our method of measuring the middle 
toe with claw of N. griseus is 5 — 10 mm longer than the tarsus, in cakdonicus (as in 
maniknsis] the two parts are approximately equal. 
Eggs. Of variable shape; in colour delicate pale sea-green, varying to bright light green and 
greenish white; size 42.7 — 52.3x38 — 36.8mm, average of 18 specimens 48.8x34.3 mm 
(Hume f 4). 
Nest. Of sticks, placed in reed-beds, on trees or bushes, where the birds often breed in very 
large colonies (cf. Swinhoe 3, 4; Hume f 4). 
Distribution. “The present species is chiefly to be met with in the southern and eastern 
portions of our continent (Europe), and but seldom occurs in Northern Europe. In 
