the primitive folk, in the solitary huts, dotted here and there on the 
hill side, to drive evil spirits away. At such times when you have 
scarce discovered the sound to be, of this lonely night Bittern, its 
ery sounds weird ; when the barking deer’s hoarse call, echoes up 
the glen; gets answered by the doe on the farther darksome forest ; 
a leopard or a panther snarls at its own shadow ; when the howl 
of the wolf is heard, but a stone’s throw, away. These birds frequent, 
dense undergrowth jungle, reeds and the long grass which hill folk 
use for thatching purposes. Colour of this Bittern’s plumage changes 
a good deal, like most of the birds belonging to Ardeide family. 
In spring the feathers are ashy black, the long neck feathers are 
reddish brown tipped with black, as we noticed when examining 
Purple heron, the long stripes on either side of the neck, you will 
find similar markings in this bird, only of a golden yellow colour ; 
back feathers are somewhat conspicuous being long and prominent ; 
breast ash ; underpart whitish. You would need to rise early to be 
in time, to find this species, and get into the thickest parts of 
‘“Khur” lands. When the sun is up, these birds lie low and all the 
hunting will not rouse them from their siesta, for they turn their 
nights into day and avoid the bright sunshine with pernicious 
loathing. The remaining species of this family are not found in 
the district. 
Famity TANTALIDA 
Comprise the third group of this interesting tribe, Cultrirostres 
were divided into. Though none of this family are found in the 
district we cannnot overlook the Ibis. They differ from storks and 
herons. Their beaks are more or less curved. Jill is long and 
rounded ; half the tibia is unfeathered ; legs and toes long ; front toes 
are webbed. 
(938) TANTALUS LEUCOCEPHALUS, Pelican-Ibis, is a well known 
bird in India, more so perhaps, as it is often met swith, quiet and 
domesticated in homes and gardens, chiefly in the plains. These 
birds, at one time, conveyed an idea of ease, opulence and wealth of 
its owner, whose well kept lawns and prim surroundings, in which, 
the Ibis, stalked about with much grace and dignity. Such quiet 
scenes are giving place to the motor car and flourish of trumpets. 
In size this Ibis is 42 inches; wing expanse about 6 feet; bill yellow ; 
plumage is more or less white ; wings, tertiary feathers with a 
roseate tinge, a dark band near the end; lesser and middle coverts 
ereen and glossy, with white edges, greater coverts are white. 
