HEEODIAS. 269 



Ardea Cinerea, i^mw. ; P. JB. 755, 787; Naum. Vog. t. 220; 

 (huld. B. Eur. pi. 274 ; Jerd. B. Ind. iii. p. 741; Murray, Hdhk., ZooL, 

 §-c., Sind, p. 226 {Saah. Sind). — The Blue Heron. 



Forehead, sides of the head and crown white; a narrow streak from the 

 base of the upper mandible over each eye, and another above it merg- 

 ing into the long occipital feathers, black ; neck behind bluish ashy ; 

 in front white, with two rows of black elongate spots ; breast and 

 under surface white; back and wing-coverts bluish ashy grey; pri- 

 maries black; scapulars silvery grey; tail bluish ashy; bill dark 

 yellow, brown on the upper mandible; irides yellow ; nude orbitar area 

 greenish. 



Length. — 39 inches, wing 18, tail 8, bill at front 5. 



Hab. — Throughout India and Europe. In Sind the Mohannas or 

 fishermen use this species as a decoy in the capture of wildfowl. Each 

 boat has usually from 5 to ] birds. Their eyelids are sewn up, and 

 they stand motionless on the cross bar of the rudder gear or perched 

 along the edges of the boat. They are fed daily, and during summer, 

 when the occupation of wild fowl catching has ceased, serve the 

 fishermen as food in the absence of any thing better. 



Ardea purpurea, Linn. ; P. K 788; A^amn. Vogt. t. 221; Gould. 

 B. Eur. pi. 274; Jerd. B. Lid. iii. p. 743; Murray, Hdbk, Zuol, ^c, 

 Sind, p. 226 — The Purple Heron. 



Head glossy black, with a lengthened black crest, the two 

 middle feathers of which extend 3 — 4 inches beyond the rest ; sides 

 of the head rusty yellow, with three longitudinal narrow black lines, 

 one extends behind the head, and is continued down the neck, and 

 two lateral ones from the eyes to the breast; chin and throat white; 

 neck in front variegated with rufous black and purple, the feathers on 

 the top of the breast long and acuminated, purplish white ; back, 

 wings, and tail reddish ash ; scapulars purple, long, forming a brilliant 

 plume on each side ; breast and flanks deep brownish red, rest of under 

 parts a little paler ; bill deep yellow : orbitar skin greenish yellow ; 

 tarsus reddish brown. 



Length.— 36 to 42 inches, wing 15-5, tail 5-75, bill at front 5'37, 

 tarsus 5*25. 



Eab. — Throughout India and Ceylon, extending into Burmah. 



Gen. Herodias. — Boie. 



Bill moderately long, slender, straight and compressed to the tip ; 

 plumage white. In breeding plumage with a long dorsal train composed 

 of lax decomposed feathers, and pectoral plumes in some. The 

 following is a key given by Mr. Hume of the Indian species of the 

 genua: — 



