ARDEA PACIFICA, Lath.
Pacific Heron.
Ardea pacifica, Lath. Ind. Om. Supp., p. lxv.— Jard. and Selb. 111. Om., vol. ii. pi. 90.— Swains. Class, of Birds,
35A.-r^Jiistvof Bgds i^^mfe ' *
Pacific Heron, Lath. Gen Syn Supp_, vol n p. 30 5=^1^^111 "JHist, vol ix p. 1 $ ^ ~~
Ardea Ballaragang, W^L--|g^^|^ ^0^n;:--ArdeiaJ. ftp.
Jil-lee-mil-ywn, Aborigines of the lowland, and ■
Kooh-jere, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia.
White-necked Heron of the !©#lpnists.
The Ardea pacifica appears to -be a summer visitor to the whole of the southern coast of Australia. In New
South Wales its occurrence depends in a great degree upon the nature of the season; that is, if much rain
rivers become filled, an^iabpuhSiFg- with’ftogs, newts, and aquatic insects: its
presence may be looked for in all such situations, where it wades about in Search of the animals enumerated,
upon all of which it feeds with avidity, and partakes less of fish than other herons. No one of the Ardeulae
ism ore ornamental' to the landscape than the present bird, its white neck offering a decided and pleasing
contrast to the green colourihgcff the herbage v ith i^j§|jj| I t its walk- too is characterized
by a greater degree o f stateliness and grace than that o f most of the other members of the g rou p.'
In general it-merely fliesfrOm districirto district in search of a more abundant supply of food; but when
necessity requires, ifc^s^capabtp o f performing extensive journeys.
The stomach is capacious ahdimembranous.
Considerable varia|iori exists in the colouring of this species, some specimens having the neck wholly
white, while others have the centre o f that part spotted with", Slack.
The sexes when fully adult are so nearly alike, that itsis/only by the smaller size of the female that they
can. be distinguished from each other.
Head, neck and elongated feathers of the breast wdiite, tinged with purplish; grey p b p th e forepart of the
neck a series of irregularly placed black spots; upper surface, wings and tail bluish black, glossed with
green on the back and wing-coverts; under surface chocolate-brown, each feather of the abdomen with a
broad stripe of white down the centre ; feathers of the breast and the elongated scapularies deep purplish
red, the tips and outer webs o f some o f the latter diilbgrepn.; shoulder and edge of the wing pure white;
upper mandible black, lower part o f the under mandiBle yellowish olive in some specimens and yellowish
horn-colour in others; irides in some specimens rich primrose-yellow, and in others very dark brown;
upper part .of-the tarsi yellowish p lM ; feet black; orbits, greenishyellow, becoming more yellow immediately
before and round the eye.
The figure represents a male about two-thirds ^the;natura| size; , '