EGRETS, HERONS, ETC. 169 



and swamps, or float on rafts of matted vegetation 

 that often sink so far beneath them as to give them 

 the appearance of swimming. Sometimes, however, 

 they venture quite far out over the surface of lawns 

 or other open grassy spaces abounding in large 

 insects. In such cases they step about firmly and 

 comparatively quickly, so long as they are not 

 stalking any particular victim, but whenever they 

 sight a desirable insect their gait at once changes, 

 each leg is alternately and cautiously thrust out 

 to its full extent and planted gingerly and quietly, 

 whilst the beak serves as a pointer, extended in 

 the line of the neck, which is fully retracted until 

 within striking distance, when it darts out like a 

 liberated spring. 



Cattle-egrets, Bubulcus coromandus, 1 are so essen- 

 tially birds of the open country, where they can escort 

 the browsing cattle and buffaloes as they brush 

 through the grass and dislodge the lurking insects, 

 that it is curious that they should ever be found 

 in small gardens ; but every now and then a few 

 of them will take a fancy to come in regularly 

 day after day for some time to inspect the banks 

 of ponds in enclosures even in the middle of the 

 town and surrounded by bustling traffic. Although 

 seldom seen on the ground there, parties of them 

 may often be observed from the most crowded 

 streets, flapping slowly across the upper sky with 



1 This bird is somewhat larger than the common paddy-bird, and is 

 distinguished by its pure white colouring. 



