166 COMMON BIRDS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



water, like rows of miniature sentinels. They are 

 comparatively large birds, but, in spite of this, they 

 often become strangely invisible when they draw 

 in their long necks, and crouch down among the 

 reeds and dried grass, whose colours match so 

 closely with the buff and brown tints of their 

 feathering. During the breeding season it is true 

 that the plumage of the male birds loses its fully 

 protective colouring, and presents rich maroon and 

 snowy white hues that are very conspicuous during 

 flight, but even then, it is curious to note how 

 one of them seems to vanish as it alights, closes 

 its broad white wings, and assumes the wonderful 

 statuesque immobility so characteristic of herons. 

 There are few more beautiful objects than a male 

 paddy-bird in full breeding plumage flying low 

 across a background of deep indigo storm-cloud, 

 and the disappearance of all the brilliant tints as 

 the bird alights in one of his accustomed haunts, 

 is a never failing subject for surprise. Whilst 

 lurking in these "at times when the nuptial 

 plumage is absent they are so invisible that one 

 is often startled by their sudden flight almost 

 underfoot; and, even when carefully marked down 

 as they light, it is curiously hard to distinguish 

 them, as they crouch in wary immobility among 

 the reeds in well-founded confidence in their 

 protective colouring. 



As is the case with the crows, many more 



