DEMIEGEETTA. 
319 
Genus DEMIEGRETTA, Blyth. 
DEMIEGRETTA SACRA, Gmelin. 
Blue Beef Heron. 
Gould, Ilandbk. Bds. Aust., Yol. ii., sp. 555, p. 307. 
“ This species, says Mr. Maegillivray, inhabits the islands of 
the north-east coast of Australia and Torres Straits. The nest is 
usually placed on a tree, but on those islands where there are 
none, such as Raine’s Islet and elsewhere, it breeds among the 
recesses of the rocks ; where the trees are tall, as on Oomaga or 
Keats Island the nests are placed near the summit; on Dugong 
Island they were placed on the root of a tree, on a low stump, or 
halfway up a low bushy tree; they are shallow in form eighteen 
inches in diameter, and constructed of small sticks, lined with 
twigs; the eggs arc two in number, and of a pale bluish-white, 
one inch and seven-eights long by one inch and a quarter broad.” 
(Gould, Ilandbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. ii., p. 307.) 
Specimens of the eggs of this bird in the Dobroyde Collection, 
taken by Mr. J. A. Boyd, on the 1st of September 1879, 
measures as follows: — length (A) 1-96 x 1'33 inch; (B) 1-89 x 
1 *35 inch. 
Mr. E. D. Atkinson found this bird breeding on a small island 
about an acre in extent, off the north-west coast of Tasmania on 
the 6th of November, 1888. The nest was composed of sticks 
and twigs, and sheltered by a rock ; it contained three eggs 
of a pale bluish-green in a very advanced state of incubation, one 
of which was unfortunately broken in transit, the two remaining 
eggs measure as follows :—length (A) 1*96 x 1'4 inch ; (B) T95 
xl-41 inch. Mr. Atkinson who flushed the female, informs me 
that after watching it from an adjacent rock, the male who joined 
her and flew away in company, was pure white. There were no 
other Herons on the island. 
Hah. Port Darwin and Port Essington, Gulf of Carpentaria, 
Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay District, 
South Coast New Guinea. (Ramsay.) 
