170 Messrs. S. Roch and E. Newton on Birds 
54. ? Ardea purpurea, Linn.; Hartl. p. 73. 
We several times saw, and occasionally killed, a species much 
resembling the European Purple Heron. Unfortunately, as in 
the case of the preceding, all the skins were destroyed. 
55. Ardea elegans, J. Verreaux; Hartl. p. 73. 
“ I shot one at Farafata, about five miles to the north-west of 
Tamatave. Unlike other birds of its genus, it flies with its 
neck stretched out. I saw a pair, but only obtained one of 
them.”—S. R. 
56. Ardea bubulcus, Savigny; Hartl. p. 74. 
“ At Antananarivo, on the 20th of October, a man brought me 
a female of this species alive. Iris yellow ; lore greenish yellow; 
lower mandible reddish ; legs brown.”—E. N. 
“ At Farafata I saw several of a small Egret, apparently the 
last named, taking short flights from bush to bush by the 
side of the lake.”—S. R. 
57. Ardea ruficrista, Verreaux; Hartl. p. 74. “Voron- 
coonche.” 
Very common in the neighbourhood of Tamatave. We almost 
daily observed flocks of white Egrets on our journey up the 
country, even as far as the Mangourou, more than one hundred 
miles from the coast: they w r ere in constant attendance on 
herds of cattle, from whose skins they would dexterously pick 
off the ticks and carapats. 
“ I also observed that, whenever the natives burnt brushwood 
or grass-land, these birds collected in numbers in the very smoke, 
to catch any insects that were thus driven from their resting- 
places. This species has the iris yellow.”—S. R. 
58. Scopus umbretta, Gmelin; Hartl. p. 76. “ Thakat.” 
We first saw this species on the 15 th of October, when about 
fifteen miles from the capital. Its flight is not Heron-like; the 
head only is somewhat drawn in, and the legs are drawn up. 
At first sight, one is apt to take them for very short-tailed Eagles 
or Hawks; and hopes of Helotarsus ecaudatus came across us as 
we saw them. Colonel Middleton, our chief, saw one of them 
carrying a stick to its nest, and he afterwards shot the bird. 
