172 Mr. Blyth's Commentary 



913. E.ALLUS STRiATUs inhabits also Formosa and Southern 

 China. 



914. Rallus indtcus is probably Mr. Swinhoe's R. aquaticus 

 from China and Japan. 



The Crrx pratensis is stated by the well-known Indian sport- 

 ing writer "Purdey " to have been once shot by him in Oudh. 

 I know of no other authority for it as an Indian bird, but have 

 seen specimens from Afghanistan. 



917. MyCTERIA AUSTRALIS. 



Mr. Gurney has remarked (Ibis, 1865, p. 276) that in both 

 this and the African M. ephippiurhijncha the irides are dark 

 brown in the male sex, and bright yellow in the female. 



919. CiCONIA ALBA. 



Dr. Jerdon asserts that the White Stork is " unknown in 

 Bengal.^' Two or three, or more, may be obtained almost every 

 season in the Calcutta bazar ; and I have been assured that this 

 species occurs in large flocks not far in the interior. For several 

 years I kept two live specimens which I obtained in the bazar, 

 and which had been only slightly winged. 



920. Melanopelargus episcopus (Bodd.) ; C. microscelis, 

 Gray & Mitch. 111. Gen. Birds, pi. 151. 



Its range extends to the Malayan province and also to Africa, 

 where likewise occurs the M. pruijssenaeri, Hartl. (Ibis, 1864, 

 p. 430), if it be really distinct. This is a particular type of 

 Stork, distinguished by its peculiar downy neck-feathers, and 

 by the remarkable form of tail noticed by Dr. Hartlaub, which 

 also occurs in the South American Ciconia maguari. 



For remarks on various Indian Herons, vide ' Ibis,' 1865, 

 p. 36 et seq. ; also Swinhoe, in P. Z. S. 1863, p. 319. 



926. Herodias egrettoides (Temm.) {" Ardea nivea, Cuv., 

 Pucheran, Rev. Zool. 1851, p. 576) is ''very common '' in Mace- 

 donia, according to Col. Drummond-Hay (Ann. & Mag. N. H. 

 1846, xviii. p. 14). 



930. Ardeola leucoptera. 



The species described under this specific name by Boddaert is 

 not likely to be the Indian bird; and ^. (jrayi will probably 



