390 AEDEID2E. 



Genus LEPTERODIUS, Hemp. & Ehr., 1832. 



This genus is very much like Herodias, and is distinguished by 

 having the dorsal train comparatively short, composed of lanceolate 

 feathers, not of plumes with the barbs widely separate, by the 

 pectoral plumes also being lanceolate, by these ornamental feathers 

 not being assumed at the breeding-season only, but being found on 

 adults throughout the year, by the nude portion of the tibia being 

 less than half its length, and by coloration. As a rule, the 

 species of this genus are of a nearly uniform dark grey or slaty 

 tint, with the remarkable peculiarity that certain individuals are 

 pure white at all times. The difference does not always, as was 

 formerly supposed, depend on age, for many white birds are 

 clearly adults ; but some young white birds of L. as7ia, kept by 

 Mr. Gumming in the Persian Gulf, changed to grey between the 

 fifth and eighth month. 



The members of this genus, three in number, of which two 

 occur within Indian limits, inhabit the sea-coasts of Africa, 

 Southern Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Naked tibia longer than inner toe without claw ; 



whole chin and throat white in dark birds ; crest 



of two very long feathers L. asha, p. 390. 



b. Naked tibia shorter than inner toe ; a white streak 



in middle of chin and throat or none ; crest a short 



tuft L. sacer, p. 391. 



The members of this genus haunt the sea-coast and the mouths- 

 of rivers, and rarely occur elsewhere. They may commonly be 

 seen solitary on reefs of rock or coral at low tide, or on sand or 

 mud, and they feed on the fish, Crustacea, and rnollusca there 

 occurring in abundance. 



1563. Lepterodius asha. The Indian Reef-Heron. 



Ardea asha, Sijkes, P. Z. IS. 1832, p. 157 ; Blyth, Ibis, 1865, p. 38. 



Herodias asha, Blytli, Cat. p. 280. 



Denri-egretta asha, Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. 747 j Hayes Lloyd, Ibis, 



1873, p. 418. 

 Deraigretta sacra, apud Stohczka, J. A. S. B. xli, pt. 2, p. 254, nee 



Gmel. 

 Ardea gularis, apud Hume, N. fy E. p. 617 ; Legge, Birds Ceyl. 



p. 1136 : nee Bosc. 

 Demiegretta gularis, apud Hume, S. F. i, p. 254 ; iv, pp. 23, 465 ; 



p Fairbank, S. F. iv, p. 263 ; Butler, S. F. v, p. 224 ; Hume, S. F. 



vii, p. 453 ; id. Cat. no. 928 j Vidal, S. F. ix, p. 89 ; Butler, ibid. 



p. 434 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 380 j Gates in Hume's N. $ E. 



2nd ed. iii, p. 244. 



Lepterodius asha, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxvi, p. 116. 

 The Ashy Egret, Jerdon ; Kola bagla, H. 



Coloration. As a rule, bluish slaty ; the chin, throat, and lower 

 cheeks, almost to- the gape, white ; the long lanceolate plumes of 



