417 
Mr. R. Swinhoe on Formosan Ornithology. 
153. Platalea major, Schlegel, Paun. Japon. 
A pair or more of large Spoonbills were frequently to be seen, 
the winter through, on the Tamsuy river. From their size I 
take them to be of this species, but I did not obtain any speci¬ 
mens. I may here remark that a specimen I procured in Swatow, 
China, has no transverse grooves on the bill, and answers more 
nearly to the Great Spoonbill of the f Fauna Japonica* than to 
the European species. 
154. Ardea cinerea, L. 
A. leucopheea , Gould, B. of Austr. vi. pi. 55. 
A common resident species. 
155. Herodias alba, L. 
Ardea modest a, J. E. Gray. 
Common in winter, and probably the year through, though 
I have no evidence of any breeding with us. This large white 
species in my Canton List was wrongly referred by the editor 
of the f Ibis J to H. intermedia . The large Egret of South China 
is the Ardea modest a, Gray, which Mr. Blyth considers identical 
with H. alba of Europe. 
156. Herodias garzetta, L. 
A very common resident species, associating, especially in 
summer, in large flocks, and breeding in company in our bamboo- 
and other plantations. I procured, on the 14th March, a fine 
male in full plumage, of which I made the following note:— 
“ Entire length 24^ in.; wing lOf; tail 3f, of 12 nearly equal 
feathers. Upper mandible, edge and apical half of lower, black; 
the remainder of lower pale grey, becoming flesh-colour towards 
base. Cere pale greenish yellow; eyelid greyish blue and semi¬ 
transparent, the eye appearing through ; the edges of the eyelids 
yellow, with an inner narrow edge of blackish. Iris clear light 
yellow, having an outer circle of golden, the whole bounded by 
greyish black. Inside of mouth flesh-colour, the tongue being 
yellowish, and the sides of the roof and the angle of rictus being 
yellow ; the roof of upper mandible and the inside of the crura of 
lower black. Skin about ear smoke-grey; ear-covert roundish, 
about in. wide, the aperture occupying the semicircle nearest 
