123 
Letters , Announcements , fyc. 
a pity I did not try them with fish at first. Their cry was 
almost exactly that of a Duck. Their plumage differed entirely, 
from that described by Bonaparte in the f Conspectus Avium.* 
Indeed I think he must have confounded the young with the 
old bird. The adult I got some time ago (Ibis, 1865, p. 359) > 
had a chestnut head, while both these immature specimens 
have black heads. Can there be more than one species of 
this abnormal Ardeine ? Mr. Blyth, I see, identifies (Ibis, 
1865, p. 38) the Ardea melanolopha of Baffles with the Japanese u 
bird. If they are the same, the range of the species must 
extend from Ceylon to Japan. I procured one adult bird in 
Tamsuy, and another here; but as I have sent them both home, 
I cannot speak with certainty on the subject. The two nest¬ 
lings I have just procured are nearly full-grown. They were 
taken, with their mother, from a tree at the foot of the inland 
mountains ; but, unfortunately, the parent did not reach me. At 
a subsequent time I will endeavour to clear up the matter, and con¬ 
tent myself now with giving a short description of the young 
birds :— 
Gorsachius goisagi (young nearly full-grown). Bill lead-colour, 
with a yellowish tinge, blacker on the culmen and near the tip. 
Coronal and occipital feathers fine black, with white spots and 
streaks, those of the front having brown edges. Upper parts 
brown, undulated, spotted, and variegated with light reddish- 
brown, these markings being pale on the wing-coverts; lower 
large winglet chestnut, tipped with white, and mottled with 
black towards the tip, the outward feather being almost en¬ 
tirely black, except its broad white tip. Upper winglet black, 
tipped with white. Quills black, broadly tipped with white, 
which is mottled more or less with brown—some of the feathers 
being reddish near the white, and mottled with brown. Tail 
black. Throat white; lower part of the neck light reddish 
ochre, undulated and mottled with blackish-brown. Rest of 
the under plumage white, undulated with blackish-brown, and 
variegated with light yellowish-brown. Legs bright yellowish- 
green ; soles and hinder part of tarsus yellow; claws pale*. 
So much for June ! I am, &c., 
Robert S win hoe. 
