Mr. E. L. Layard on the Ornithology of Ceylon. 113 



out its neck and seizes it with its bill; while thus engaged, 

 their dark-coloured plumes so entirely cover the white ones, that 

 the bird is almost invisible; on taking to flight, however, these 

 become apparent. In allusion to this, the Tamuls have a pro- 

 verb that, like this Koku, the deceitful man only occasionally 

 shows himself in his true colours. 



It breeds in trees in company with other herons ; its eggs are 

 the same in colour, but rounder in shape ; axis 1 inch 5 lines, 

 diam. 1 inch 2 lines. 



243. Ardetta cinnamomea, Ginel. Nati Korawaka, Cing. 



Common about the south of the island ; I have not met with 

 it northward. It frequents beds of rushes, and lights readily on 

 trees. Muttu brought in a white egg, which he stated he 

 thought belonged to the species ; he told me he saw a hen bud 

 rise from some sedges, and on going to the place he found a 

 rough nest of reeds and flags raised above the water, in which 

 was the egg. Its axis is 1 inch 3 lines, and diam. 13 lines. In 

 shape it resembles a Heron's egg. 



244. Ardetta flavicollis, Lath. Carawal-koka, Cing. 



Not uncommon in the marshes about Matura ; I also shot 

 three specimens on Colombo lake in March. It frequents reeds, 

 and perches readily. It is a fearless bird, permits a near ap- 

 proach and remains motionless, trusting to its sombre colour to 

 escape detection. 



245. Ardetta sinensis, Gmel. 



This is the smallest of our species, and is abundant on the 

 banks of all the southern rivers ; it becomes rare towards the 

 north, where it is replaced by 



246. Butorides Javanica, Horsf., 



which is very abundant. I have seen from ten to twenty spe- 

 cimens in the Fort-ditch at Jaffna, in one day. This species, by 

 the way, frequents salt water more than any other, though A. leu- 

 coptera may often be seen fishing ou the mud-banks left by the 

 retreating tide near shore. 



Dr. Kelaart includes A. thalassina, Swains., in his list, on the 

 authority of some one who forwarded him a specimen many years 

 ago from the Colombo Medical Museum, he being then in En- 

 gland. I am sure he is mistaken in either the identification or 

 locality, the latter most probably, since no dependence can be 

 placed on a museum whose labels have been shifted so often, and 

 on which so little care has been bestowed. 



Ann. $ Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 2. Vol. xiv. 8 



