ARDEID.E. 379 



Herodias alba, Lin. 



. Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 270. 



THE LAKGE WHITE HERON. 



Wing, 17-2 ; tarsus, 7'91 ; bill at front, 5. 



Bill, yellow. 



Plumage, pure white ; in the breeding season it developes a 

 long dorsal train of decomposed feathers, extending about five 

 inches from the end of the tail ; at this season the bill is black. 



This Large White Heron occurs in Sind. 



Herodias torra, B. Ham. 



925. H. alba, Lin. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 744 ; 

 Butler, Guzerat ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 433 ; Murray's Ver- 

 tebrate Zoology of Sind, p. 270 ; Swinhoe and Barnes, Central 

 India; Ibis, 1885, p. 135. 



THE LARGE EGRET. 



Length, 36 ; expanse, 54 ; wing, 13'2 to 15'2 ; tail, 6 ! 5 ; tarsus, 

 5-25 to 7 ; bill at front, 372 to 4'6. 



Bill black, changing to yellow in winter ; naked skin at base of 

 bill and round the eyes pea-green to verditer ; irides pale yellow ; 

 naked part of tibia pale livid ; tarsus black, more or less suffused 

 with vinous red. 



Plumage pure white ; in the breeding season ao elongated dorsal 

 train of fine decomposed feathers, which pass the tail sometimes 

 by 4 or 5 inches ; no crest or breast plumes. 



The Large Egret is very common in Sind ; it occurs more spar- 

 ingly in other places, but is nowhere rare. 



The remarks about breeding apply to this species also. 



Herodias intermedia, Hass. 



926. H. egrettoides, Tern. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, 

 p. 745 ; Butler, Guzerat ; Stray Feathers, Vol. IV, p. 23 ; Dec- 

 can, Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 433 ; Murray's Vertebrate 

 Zoology of Sind, p. 270 ; Swinhoe and Barnes, Central India ; 

 Ibis, 1885, p. 136. 



THE SMALLER EGRET. 



Length, 27 to 28 ; expanse, 46 ; wing, 11-15 to 12*65 ; tail, 5 ; 

 tarsus, 41 to 4;6 ; bill at front, 2'68 to 3'09. 



Bill black ; irides yellow ; legs black ; facial skin greenish. 



In summer, plumage pure white, like the last ; a long dorsal 

 train reaching nearly to the ground, and a beautiful long pectoral 

 tuft of similarly formed feathers, but no crest. 



In winter, the dorsal and pectoral trains are wanting, and the 

 bill is yellow. 



The Smaller Egret is very common throughout the region except 

 perhaps in Ratnagiri. 



Breeds similarly to -the others. 



