BtJBULCUS. 271 



Hab, — Throughout India. 



Gen. Demi-egretta. — Blyth. 



Bill long and more slender than in Herodias; adult plumage dark, 

 otherwise as in Herodias. 



Demi-egretta gularis, Bosc. Act. Soc. H. N. i. t. 2 ; Meyer, Zool. 

 Ann. i. t. 1.; Hume, Str. F. i. 254. Demi-egretta schistacea, Licht. ; 

 Hemp, and Ehr. Sym. PJnjs. t. 6. Demi-egretta asha, Sykes, Cat. 171; 

 Jerd. B.Ind. iii. p. 747, No. 928; Murray, Edbk., Zool., Sfc, Sind, 

 p. 227. — The Ashy Egret. 



Adult. — In breeding season, deep slaty blue ; chin, throat, sides of 

 the head, nearly to the gape and the bases of the ear-coverts white; 

 an occipital crest and dorsal train of decomposed feathers, concolorous 

 with the upper parts, and not reaching quite to the end of the tail ; 

 pectoral plumes narrow and pointed ; bill reddish yellow, dusky above ; 

 nude orbitar skin yellowish green ; legs blackish ; feet and lower part of 

 tarsus yellowish. 



Length. — 24 to 27 inches, wing 10 to 11-4, tail 3 to 3"8 ; irides yellow ; 

 bare portion of tibia 2*2 to 2 '9, bill 35 to 4*], tarsus 3'9 to 4*4, 

 mid-toe and claw 2-3 to 2'6. Affects the mud flats in the Kurrachee 

 harbour. 



The young or intermediate stage of plumage is white throughout, 

 some of the wing-coverts being greyish. 



Hah. — Sind, Mekran, Arabian and Western Coasts. 



Buhulcus.—Pncher. 



Bill shorter than in the Egrets ; legs longer; plumes during the 

 breeding season yellow. 



Bubulcus coromanda, Bodd. ; P. E. 910; Jerd. B.Ind. iii. 749; 

 Mtirray, Hdhk., Zool., Sfc, Sind, p. 229. Ardea russata. Tern. Ardea 

 affinis, Horsfipld. — The Buff-backed Heron or Cattle Egret. 



In breeding plumage, the head, sides of the face, neck in front (except 

 a narrow mesial line, which is white) nape and part of the hind neck, 

 and the decomposed elongate feathers brilliant orange, the filamentose 

 feathers of the back reach to the end of the closea wings, rest of the 

 plumage pure white ; legs yellowish green, the joints tinged plumbeous ; 

 bill deep orange yellow; orbitar skin yellowish, with a pinkish tinge ; 

 irides pale yellow ; mid-claw serrated. 



Length. — 21 inches, wing 10*25, tail 4, bill at front 2-5, tarsus 3-5. 

 In winter the plumage is entirely white. 



Hah. — Sind and throughout India, Burmah and Ceylon. It has 

 gained the name of the Cattle Egret from its always being found 

 amongst cattle when grazing, usually perched on their heads or backs. 

 It is seldom like the other species, seen wading in water. Feeds 

 chiefly on insects, small frogs or tadpoles. 



