DEMIEGRETTA. 245 



" In this instance, as in the one above, the white and blue birds 

 were breeding together, in company with a few Pond-Herons (A. 

 r/rat/i). The nests were similar to those already described, except 

 that many of them looked like old nests repaired for the occasion. 

 " On the 3rd May, 1878, a few more eggs were taken on Waarba 

 Island, Khore Abdulla, at the head of the Persian Gulf, and the 

 man who took them for me described the nests as platforms of 

 twigs, about 1| ft. high, neatly built on the ground. This unusual 

 site would be explained by the total absence of any kind of trees 

 or vegetation on tbe island for the birds to build upon, and on 

 account of its being in a place where human beings are almost 

 unknown. The nests contained three fresh eggs each. In this 

 instance there were no white birds, only the blue variety. 



" My reasons now for arriving at the conclusion that the white 

 and blue birds are the same bird in different varieties of plumage 

 are as follows : First, they breed together in the same localities, 

 viz. mangrove swamps, and at the same season; second, that Hero- 

 dias intermedia, the only other species that the white bird could 

 well be mistaken for, does not breed in this part of the country I 

 believe before July ; third, that the eggs of the two varieties are 

 inseparable, and both exhibit the peculiarity of colouring I have 

 pointed out above. Then, again, A. intermedia resorts to the large 

 dhunds inland to breed, and breeds in immense colonies, in com- 

 pany with other Herons and Egrets, and it is hardly likely that a 

 few odd pairs would breed along the coast about two months 

 before the proper time for tbe sake of the company of Demieyretta 

 f/ularis. 



" There is one circumstance, however, that I must mention that 

 rather argues in favour of the white and blue birds being separate 

 species, and that is, in Mr. hash's letter he says : ' Out of the 

 numerous incubated eggs brought in, many of which were too far 

 gone to blow, and all of which were carefully marked, we found 

 that all of those marked Blue Egret contained dark chicks, and all 

 of those that were marked White Egret contained white chicks 

 without a single exception.' The men who took the eggs say that 

 incubation only lasts for seven days, which is probably explained 

 by the extreme heat and the moist climate. This they proved by 

 visiting the place twice ; the first time the nests all contained fresh 

 eggs, and the second time, seven days later, many of them contained 

 young birds, and most of the remaining eggs were too much incu- 

 bated to blo\v. It will be observed that these Herons lay about 

 the same time all along the coast, viz., about the first week in May, 

 and so punctual are they that unless the nests are visited within 

 about the first half of the month there is very little chance of 

 procuring fresh eggs." 



In shape the eggs vary but little ; they are all very regular 

 moderately elongated ovals, but whereas the majority have the two 

 ends obtuse and almost precisely similar, in a few there is a slight 

 tendency to point at both ends. The shell is hard and compact, 



