A RDEA ggpVJE-HOLLANDI iE, Lath.
White-fronted Hgron.r
Ardea Noya-Hollm^/I&ch.. Indi Qen. z3S}| vol. xi. p. 561.
White-fronted Heron, $ |J l. pi. tn p. 163.—Penn. Outlin., vol. iy.
Ardea leucops, Wagl. §yj||?Ay;, Ardea)rsp.. 17.
Herodias Novts-Hollandia, List ofBirdsin Brit. Mus. part iii. p,. 80.
Wy-an, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western Australia;
Blue Crane of the Colonists.
The White-fronted Heron£is dispersed over everypartr.of Van Diemen’s Land, the colonies of
New South Wales, Sputh Australia andji§§fi|«i R ive r; but I have never seen it from the north coast, and
consequently infer that if|||s -11^1^05®®®" Low sandy beaches washed by the ocean, arms of
the sea, and the sides of rivers and lagoons.^both^ii^h^liit^^m o f the country as well as near the coast,
are equally tenanted by it, consequently it is one of the commonest species o f the genus in all the countries
above-mentioned; and may frequently be seen wading knee-deep in the water of the salt marshes in search
o f food, which consists pf crabs, fish, and marine insects. Its flight is hea^fai^.§ipping like that o f the
Other Herons, but it runs p i f f l continually mOTpglabphfr when searching
for food,, and never stands motionless iim f ie water as |M|frue HerpnsJdS; these aptive habits are in fact
necessary to enable it to capture msects- andficrabs.vTO^^m ii^ki'^^^il^ubsists.
Some nests I observed in t^^montMofyDctober 1838. on the- banks of the Derwent, were placed on the
tops o f the smaller gum-trees, and^posi;p^t^ ^ ^ o ^^^^^^^^haMted|mrds | Mr; I£ermo;<§c informed me
that lhannually breedsv^^^^^^3f]^dmRdbd^^lfl^#state. which is near the ceutre^of'Van Diemen’s Land.
The nest is of. a mbderhte'sii^aT^^^^^^^^l^fesliCK^and leaves.SMphe eggs are'ifoiirliSiiumber. o f a
pale bluish green,; pT^^ h ^ ^ ^^^^^^ht^^lb^febw^one inch and a quarter broad.
The white colouring of the face and throat is much more extensive in some individuals than in others;
and the base of the Bilf/ the orbits and irides are deep lead-colour in some specimens,- while in others those
;|^ | s :a r e pale grpyj and the irifle$pale buffi
The stomach is vpjy Caplc|pM^ m f e h e weight o f tlfehad»l^m ^ g ^ ^ ^ i.e^ld:und f l » Q ] t e f e ^ ?
Little or no difference is observable in the sexes ; but the female is somewhat smaller than her mate.
Face and throat white; ctowii o f the head and bad*>of the neck dark slate-colour: sides o f the neck,
all the upper surface an^wings dark grey, tinged with brown on the wings; primaries and tail-feathers
dark slate-colour; elongated feathers of the back grey, tinged witllhrown f elongated feathers o f the breast
cinnamon-brown; under surface grey, washed with rufous.- which tint becomes gradually palttf as it proceeds
along the abdomen to the under t^hcoyerts; down the a stripe^^^iff» gradually
blending above with the white of the throat, and below. With p h e & ^ m o j^ h r hf the breast; irides in some
lead-colour, in others yellow, and imothers pale bu ff; ^ o r b it^ S l base o f tbe bill, in some pale grey, in
others deep lead-colour; base o f the lower mandible flesh-colour-
The that o f a male about four-fifths o f the natural s i z % f