observed in Oudh and Kumaon. 245 



has a good deal of the habits of the Bittern, skulking in rushes, &c. 

 I have repeatedly seen it in India, at the Cape, and in the Crimea, 

 but never saw it in the open, like Ardea cinerea, except when 

 flushed out of rushes ; then it will sometimes settle on dry land, 

 much in the manner of the Night Heron. 



173. Herodias alba. (Great Egret.) 



Common from August to March inclusive, and probably found 

 throughout the year. Attempts have been made to distinguish 

 the different species of Egret by the colour of the bill ; but the 

 colour varies according to age and the time of year, and spe- 

 cimens may be often obtained with the bill half black, half 

 yellow : the only way of distinguishing them is by the crests, 

 back and breast plumes, and by the size of the birds when not in 

 the breeding plumage. 



174. Herodias IxXtermedia. 



More common than the preceding species, and observed 

 throughout the year. 



175. Herodias garzetta. (Little Egret.) 



Common throughout the year. I kept one alive some time, 

 feeding it on meat. 



176. Herodias melanopus. 



Common, and, like the preceding species, often seen among 

 cattle. This Egret is the smallest of the four ; and the breast 

 plumes in the breeding-plumage are few in number, but thick 

 in texture, and scattered down the neck — not springing from one 

 place as in H. garzetta. 



177. Herodias bubulcus. (Buff-backed Heron.) 

 Excessively common during the rainy season ; always seen 



amongst cattle. I have seen a buffalo walking along with three 

 or four of these birds or H. intermedia sitting on his back, 

 reminding one of an itinerant vendor of plaster- of-Paris images. 



178. Ardeola leucoptera. (" Paddy Bird.'') 



A name also applied to the preceding five species, but espe- 

 cially to this one, which is very common throughout the year. 



179. Nycticorax griseus. (Night Heron.) 



Seen in small numbers throughout the year, and is rather wary. 



