378 ARDEIDZ. 
The Common Heron occurs plentifully throughout the region. 
They are permanent residents, but disappear from many places 
during the breeding season, when they in company with other 
Herons and Egrets, form immense breeding colonies. Such colo- 
nies occur on the dhunds along the Eastern Narra Canal in Sind, 
and other places in the district. They all build platform nests, 
composed of sticks, and the eggs are very similar, only differing 
somewhat in size. 
Further on a table will be found giving dimensions of the eggs 
of the various species. 
They breed usually during the rains. 
oO 
5 
Ardea purpurea, Lin. 
924—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 743; Butler, Guzerat ; 
Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 23; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. 
IX, p. 433; Murray’s Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 269; 
Swinhoe and Barnes, Central India; Ibis, 1885, p. 135. 
THE PURPLE HERON. 
Length, 36 to 42; expanse, 58; wing, 155; tail, 5°75; tarsus, 
5-25 bill at front, 5-4, 
Bill deep yellow, brownish above ; orbitar skin greenish-yellow ; 
irides yellow; tarsus reddish-brown, yellowish behind and onthe soles: 
of the feet. 
Adult in full plumage: crown and occipital crest black with 
green reflections; throat white; cheeks and sides of the neck 
reddish-brown, with three longitudinal narrow black bands, two 
lateral ones from the eyes to the breast, and the third from the 
nape down the black of the neck; 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, red- 
dish-ash ; the scapulars purple, long, and subulate, forming a bril- 
liant plume on each side ; breast and flanks deep brownish-red ; 
belly and thigh-coverts the same, but paler and mixed with 
white. 
The immature bird has the crest, scapulars and neck plumes 
deficient; the forehead black ; the nape and cheeks pale rufous ; 
the throat white ; the forepart of the neck and the sides of the 
breast yellowish-white, with black spots; back, wings, and tail, 
dusky-ash, the feathers edged with reddish-ash ; lower parts 
whitish. i 
The Purple Heron is common in suitable places throughout 
the district. The remarks concerning breeding apply to this 
species also. 
Grnus, Herodias, Bove. , 
Bill moderately long and slender, straight and much compress- 
ed; plumage white ; the neck very long and slender ; tibia naked 
for nearly half its length; tarsus long, thin, 
