272 



ARDEID^. 



Gen. Ardeola. — Boie. 



Tibia feathered nearly to the knee ; tarsus shorter than in Buhulcus ; 

 toes also shorter. 



Ardeola grayii, Sykes; Gray, III. Ind. Zool. p]. 48. Ardeola 

 leucoptera, Bodd. ; P. E. 911 ; Jerd. B. Ind. iii. 751 ; Murray, Hdhk., 

 Zool., 8fc., Sind, p. 226. — The Pond Heron or Paddy Bird. 



In summer dress the head is greyish or buffy yellow with an elongtite 

 white crest ; neck in front^ except a fulvous mesial line, back of the 

 neck, and also breast, with the elongated feathers a little paler than the 

 head ; scapular pale greyish brown, elongated dorsal feathers dark 

 maroon, rest of the plumage white; tarsal plumes fulvous or pale buff; 

 bill yellowish, bluish at the base and tipped black ; orbitar skin 

 greenish yellow; irides bright yellow ; legs and feet dull gi'eenish. 



In winter tbe crown of the head and nape are dai'k brown, the 

 feathers with narrow mesial shat't-streaks ; neck behind, on the sides 

 and breast fulvous or pale bufl', the feathers edged with dusky brown ; 

 back and scapulars grey brown or pale ashy brown ; lower back, rump, 

 upper and under tail-coverts, also the tail and abdomen pure white ; 

 thigh-coverts fulvous ; primaries white, dark shafted, the outer webs of 

 tlie first three quills and also their tips greyish brown ; secondai-ies 

 pure white ; wing-coverts white, tinged very slightly in some specimens 

 with greyish. 



Length. — 18 to 19 inches, wing 8 to 8'5, tail 3, bill at front 2'5. 



Hab. — Sind and througliout India. Abundant in all moist localities, 

 at the edges of ponds, ditches, marshes and lakes, and especially in rice 

 fields. 



Gen. Butorides.— Blyth. 



Bill moderately long and stout ; tibia feathered nearly to the knee ; 

 inner toe short ; head crested. 



Blltorides javanica, Horsf. ; Jerd. B. Ind. iii. p. 752 ; Sir. F. i. 

 256; ii. 310; iii. 191 ; Murray, Hdhh, ZuoL, Sfc, Sind, p. 226.— The 

 Little Green Heron. 



Forehead and crown glossy black, also the long occiptal crest ; a 

 streak from behind the eye including the ear-coverts white, in some 

 with a fulvescent tinge ; another streak, which is black, below the eye ; 

 back and sides of the neck, also the breast and abdomen greyish 

 brown, ashy brown in some ; chin and a streak down the front of the 

 neck white ; back and scapulars green, the feathers lengthened, lanceo- 

 late and white shafted ; the tertials white edged ; wing-coverts glossy 

 green, edged with pale buff or fulvous; secondaries margined round 

 their tips with yellowish white ; tail dark slaty ; under tail-coverts 

 gi-eyish ; quills dark slaty, narrowly tipped with white ; bill black above, 

 pale yellow beneath; legs yellowish green. 



