THE HERONS. l8l 



out of their element. Then they go down "the red 

 lane" without further ceremony, for the throat of the 

 Heron, slender as it looks, is wonderfully elastic. 

 Almost all the Herons make their nests in company 

 in some large tree. The Pond Herons of Back Bay 

 have appropriated a large tamarind tree in Marine 

 Lines, on the top-most twigs of which, from the 

 month of May onwards, you will find a whole village. 

 The nests are like those of crows, but not so well 

 built.. The eggs, four or five in number, are of a 

 greenish blue colour. At nesting time the Pond 

 Heron is rather noisy. Its voice is a short croak, or 

 cough, not the least musical. 



Next come the White Herons, or Egrets, pure 

 white birds, more graceful in every way than the 

 podgy Pond Heron. There are three species, which 

 differ from one another only in size. The largest is 

 about the size of the English Heron, but pure white 

 all over. It is not very common here, nor is the next, 

 which is a size smaller. The third, which Jerdon 

 calls The Little Egret (Herodias garzetta), is very 

 plentiful and would be more so if Goanese gunners 

 did not persecute it for its flesh and its feathers. The 

 feathers are exported to Europe in large quantities for 

 the decoration of women's hats, or some such shame- 

 ful purpose. The Little Egret is somewhat larger 

 than the Pond Heron and much taller. During the 

 breeding season it is adorned with long, flowing 

 plumes on the back and breast, and two thin, hair- 

 like feathers droop from the back of its head. Wher- 

 ever there is shallow water, or flooded ground, this 

 species may be seen in companies wading for little 

 frogs and fishes. I once saw one trying to swallow a 



