384 ARDEID^E. 



always four in number, are broad ovals, pointed at both ends, 

 and are nearly white in color. 

 They measure 17 by 1*22. 



Ardetta cinnamomea, Gm. 



933. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 755; Butler, Deccan, 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. IX, p. 434 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology 

 of Sind, p. 274. 



THE CHESNUT BITTERN. 



Lai Bayla, Hin. 



Length, 16 ; expanse, 22 ; wing, 6 ; tail, 175 ; tarsus, 2 ; 

 bill at front, 2. 



Bill yellow ; culmen dusky ; cere yellow ; irides yellow ; legs 

 / greenish yellow, with yellow soles. 

 J Above, fine chesnut color, with a tinge of cinereous on the 

 crown ; beneath fulvous, whitish on the throat, and with a 

 pectoral gorget of feathers, dark brown in the centre ; thigh- 

 coverts cinnamomeus ; lower surface of the wings dull ashy. 



The young bird has the plumage streaked, the feathers being 

 reddish-brown in the centre with pale yellowish margins. 



The Chesnut Bittern occurs both in Sind and in the Deccan. 

 I 'have not heard of its occurrence in Guzerat, but most probably 

 it will be found to occur there. 



It is probably only a seasonal visitant. 



Ardetta sinensis, Gm. 



934. Jerdon's Birds of India, Vol. II, p. 755 ; Butler, Guzerat ; 

 Stray Feathers, Vol. V, p. 216 ; Deccan, Stray Feathers, Vol. 

 IX, p.434 ; Murray's Vertebrate Zoology of Sind, p- 274. 



THE YELLOW BITTERN. 



Length, 14 to 15 ; wing, 5'25 \ tail, 175 ; tarsus, 175 ; bill at 

 front, 2-25. 



Bill pale yellow ; culmen brownish ; irides yellow ; legs and 

 feet pale green. 



Adult, top of head black ; back of neck cinnamon rufous ; 

 face, sides of neck and breast pale fulvous yellow, white on the 

 chin ; back and scapulars pale earthy or sandy brown ; wing- 

 coverts and tertiaries pale isabelline- fulvous, the latter verging 

 to pale brownish ; quills and tail black ; sides of the breast deep 

 brown, edged with pale yellow, passing to white on the vent 

 and under tail-coverts ; back of neck and rest of lower plumage 

 yellowish- white, passing to white. 



The young bird has the upper plumage more or less cinna- 

 mon-brown, mixed with pale fulvous, and some of the occipital 

 feathers blackish brown. 



The Yellow Bittern is not very common in Sind ; it occurs 

 also in Guzerat, but is rare in the Deccan. Captain Butler 

 found it breeding at Milana, about 18 miles east of Deesa. The 



