ARDEA (ARDEOLA) GUTTURALIS.—S m i t h .
Avks.—l’LATE XCI. (Male.)
A. supra nigro-purpurea viride-leevigata; gula guttureque rufo-albis late nigro-brunneo-lineatis; pectore
regioneque ante alas subochreis, nigro-brunneo-virgatis; ventre brunneo-flavo, nigro-brunneo-
virgato; rostro subviride-fusco nmbrato; tarsis anticfe flavo-virescentibus, posticfe ochreis; oculis
brunneo-aurantiis.
Cancrophagus gutturalis, Smith, Rep. of Expect. App. page 57.
C o lo u r .-—The upper and lateral parts of the head, neck, and body, also
the wings and tail pale blackish purple, and all, except the quill feathers,
distinctly glossed with green; the primary and secondary quill coverts narrowly
tipped with white. Chin and throat dirty white, and variegated with large
blackish-brown stripes so arranged as to form three more or less distinct
longitudinal lines ; the breast and sides of neck immediately in front of
shoulders sienna-yellow, blotched with brownish black stripes; belly yellowish
brown, variegated with lengthened longitudinal blackish brown stripes;
flanks the same colour as the back. Eyes brownish orange. Base of upper
mandible and most of lower mandible oil-green ; the remaining parts dull
umber-brown. Tarsi anteriorly oil-green, posteriorly ochre-yellow ; toes
ochre-yellow, tinged with oil-green.
F orm , &c.—Figure rather slender. Feathers of neck rather long, wiry,
and decomposed; sides of head in front of eyes bare; bill rather compressed,
conical, and pointed. Wings inclined to pointed, and when folded reach
nearly to the tip of the ta il; the tertiary quill feathers nearly as long as the
primaries, the first and second primary quill feathers equal and longest, the
third rather shorter. Tail short, and slightly rounded. Tarsi rather short,
anteriorly scutellated, posteriorly coated with several series of small scales ;
toes long, and moderately strong ; claws rather strong, slightly curved, and
pointed.