( 19 ) 



nesfc among the tall reeds which are 

 so abundant along the water courses. 

 It makes a rather large nest of dry 

 rushes and reed leaves which are 

 tightly interwoven with the reed 

 stems which support it. The clutch 

 usually consists of four, oval, greenish- 

 white eggs. 



CINNAMON HEKON. 



IXOBETCHUS CINNAMOMEA (gm). 



[Ardetta cinnamomea (Gm.)] 

 Description. — Length Scinches. 



Bill yellow with black tip. Legs 

 greenish yellow. Lores and eyelids 

 bare and yellow, -i^ ^v*.--»JU< _ fyu^rjiJu-*^ 



Male. — Head and upper parts rufous 

 brown with a slaty blue tinge to the 

 crest. Lower parts ochraceous buff. 

 Indistinct black streak from throat to 

 breast (more distinct in the female). 

 Patch of black feathers margined 

 ochraceous in front of wing. 



Female, — differs from the male in 

 having bluish slaty tinge to all the 

 rufous upper parts, deepest on the top 

 of the head and lightest on the rump 

 and tail ; and a mottling of buff and 

 black on the wings and lower parts. 



Distribution. — India, Malaysia, 

 Japan and China. A summer visitant 

 in this part of the Yangtse Valley. 



Nest and Eggs. — This heron nests 

 among the reeds along the streams or 

 in marshy places. The eggs, five or 

 six to a clutch, are oval and a dull 

 white in color, lacking the bluish 

 tinge, though they sometimes have it. 



Notes. — This is one of the night 

 herons, remaining concealed during 

 the daylight hours in the thick vege- 



