LEPTEROD1US. 391 



the scapulars, interscapulars, and upper breast, and the two long 

 narrow feathers of the crest ashy grey. 



Many birds, however, both old and young, are pure white 

 throughout. Birds of the year (if not white) are ashy grey, and 

 have no ornamental plumes. Young birds are often particoloured, 

 and a few instances have been observed of slaty-blue adults with 

 some of the quills and wing-coverts white. The African L. gularis r 

 with which the present species was for a long time supposed to be 

 identical, is quite distinct, being darker coloured, with a very 

 different crest of several comparatively short plumes. 



Bill brownish yellow, yellowish at the tip, culmen between 

 nostrils dark brown, gape greenish ; irides golden yellow ; tibia 

 and just below the knee brown ; tarsus green, paling to greenish 

 yellow at the tips of the toes (Leyge). Coloration, especially of 

 legs, very variable. 



Length of male about 20 ; tail 3*75 ; wing 10*5 ; tarsus 4; bill 

 from gape 4*5. Females rather less. 



Distribution. Shores of the Indian Ocean from the Persian Gulf 

 (Muscat, Fao) to Ceylon and the Laccadives. Individual birds 

 may occasionally occur inland, but as a rule this species does not 

 leave the sea-coast or the tidal estuaries and backwaters at any 

 time. 



Habits, $c. This Eeef-Heron breeds generally in May, making 

 the usual nest of sticks on mangrove or other trees near the 

 shore, but nests, made on the ground, have been found on barren 

 uninhabited islands. The eggs are pale sea-green, 3 to 5 in 

 number, and measure about 1'85 by 1-35. 



1564. Lepterodius sacer. The Eastern Reef-Heron. 



Ardea sacra, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i, p. 640 (1788) ; Hume, N. $ E. 



p. 618. 

 Ardea jugularis, Forst., Wayler, Syst. Av. Ardea, no. 18 (1827) ; 



Pelzeln, Novara Reise, Voy. p. 118. 

 Herodias jugularis, Blijth, Cat. p. 280. 

 Deinigretta concolor, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xv, p. 372 (1846) ; Ball, 



J.A, 8. B. xxxix, pt. 2, p. 243. 

 ? Herodias eulophotes, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1860, p. 64 ; Blyth, Birds Burm* 



p. 159. 



Herodias adamanensis, Tytler, Beavan, Ibis, 1867, p. 333. 

 Herodias concolor, Bli/th, Ibis, 1868, p. 133; Ball, J. A. S. B. xli, 



pt. 2, p. 289 ; id, S. F. i, p. 87 ; JSli/th, Birds Burm. p. 160. 

 Demiegretta sacra, Walden, Ibis, 1873, p. 318; Hume, S. F. ii, 



p. 304 ; Hume $ Dav. S. F. vi, p. 481 ; Hume, Cat. no. 928 bis j 



Gates, B. B. ii, p. 2oO ; id. in Hume's N. fy E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 246 ; 



Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxvi, p. 137. 

 Demiegretta greyi, Hume, S. F. i, p. 307 (1873). 



Coloration, as a rule, dark slaty grey, less blue than in L. asJia, with 

 a white streak down the middle of the chin and throat ; this streak is- 

 not uncommonly represented by a few white feathers or wanting 

 altogether. There is a broad full nuchal cresr, about an inch 

 long, of ordinary feathers ; a dorsal train of lanceolate feathers, 



