HERODIAS IMMACULATA, Gouwid. 
Spotless Egret. 
Herodias immaculata, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., 1846. 
Yab-be-ruk, Aborigines of Port Essington. 
White Crane of the Colonists. 
Tus Spotless Egret, which is a beautiful representative of the Herodias Garzetta of Europe, is a native of 
the northern portion of Australia, and is extremely abundant in almost all parts of the Cobourg Peninsula, 
both on the open sea-beach and in the secluded parts of the harbour ; it also occurs in all the neighbouring 
swamps and lakes. ‘On one occasion,” says Mr. Gilbert, ‘ while lying at anchor in Van Diemen’s Gulf, 
about half a mile from an isolated rock, covered with a stunted plant growing from the crevices, I saw 
these birds repairing thither for the purpose of roosting in such numbers, that in a very short time the 
dark-coloured rock assumed an appearance of snowy whiteness, resembling in the distance, and particu- 
larly by moonlight, a pile of snow; at the same time I observed them in different parts of the harbour 
congregated in flocks, and when seen perched upon the branches overhanging the water, they greatly 
resembled a flock of Cockatoos ; but although they are met with in such numbers it is by no means easy to 
procure specimens, for a more shy and wary bird is scarcely to be found. 
“The stomach is membranous and the food consists of fish.” 
The sexes are precisely alike in plumage, and both are adorned with the long flowing plumes, which are 
thrown off in the winter season. 
The entire plumage of a pure and snowy whiteness ; irides yellow; upper mandible, half the lower man- 
dible and apical dark purplish black; base of the latter dull yellowish grey; cere and orbits saffron-yellow ; 
legs blackish grey ; inner side and back of the tarsi, and the under surface of the feet siskin-green. 
The Plate represents male and female in breeding plumage of the size of life. 
