252 BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 



Genus ARDEOLA, Boie. 



617. ARDEOLA GRAYI. 

 THE POND-HERON. 



Ardea grayii, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 158. Ardeola leucoptera, apud Jerd. B. 

 Ind. ii. p. 751. Ardeola grayi, Hume, Nests and Eggs, p. 619 ; id. 8. F. iii. 

 p. 190 ; 1. B. Burm. p. 160 ; Armstrong, S. F. iv. p. 350 ; Oates, S. F. v. p. 167 ; 

 Hume fy Dav. S. F. vi. p. 481 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 1150 ; Hume, 8. F. viii. 

 p. 114 ; Scully, S. F. viii. p. 361 ; Bingham, S, F. ix. p. 197 ; Oates, S. F. x. 

 p. 243. 



Description. Male and female in summer plumage. Head and neck 

 greyish yellow, the crown dusky ; a long occipital crest of pointed feathers 

 white ; back and scapulars dark blackish maroon, the feathers very long 

 and decomposed ; remainder of the plumage white. 



In nonbr -ceding -plumage both sexes have the chin and throat white; 

 the whole head, neck and breast fulvous, each feather broadly edged at the 

 sides, but not at the tip, with dark brown ; the back, scapulars and terti- 

 aries dark brown, a few of the feathers with yellowish centres ; remainder 

 of the plumage white ; the feathers of the occiput lengthened but not 

 forming a conspicuous crest. 



Iris bright yellow ; orbital skin and gape greenish yellow ; the margins 

 of the upper mandible to within an inch of the tip, the central portion and 

 tip of the lower yellow ; remainder of the bill black ; legs and feet greenish, 

 with some yellow about the joints; claws horn-colour. In the young 

 bird the whole bill is reddish flesh-colour, and the legs and feet are bright 

 green. 



Length 19 inches, tail 3, wing 8*5, tarsus 2*3, bill from gape 3'1. The 

 female is of about the same size. 



The Pond-Heron is one of the commonest of the family, being found in 

 every part of the Province except on the higher hills, and Capt. Wardlaw 

 Ramsay observed it in Karennee. 



It is found over the whole peninsula of India with Ceylon and in the 

 Indo-Burmese countries. It is not recorded from China, but Dr. Tiraud 

 states that it is common in Cochin China. In the Malay peninsula its 

 distribution is unknown ; but inasmuch as Mr. Davison states that it is 

 common down to the extreme south of Tenasserim, it is not likely to stop 

 short there, but also to be found in a considerable portion of the peninsula. 



This small Heron is remarkable for its tameness and indifference to man. 

 As long as it rests on the ground the colour of its plumage causes it to 

 escape notice ; but when it starts up, its white wings render it a conspicuous 

 object. It breeds from May to August, making its nest in trees quite 

 close to houses, and laying four to six blue eggs. 



