14 The Zoologist — January, 1866. 



en masse over our heads, and uttering piercing cries, some, with 

 threatening gestures, rested a moment on the adjoiuing trees, and then 

 took to their wings again ; although so crowded they perlbruied their 

 evolutions with the greatest nicety and dexterity, never interfering with 

 each other's movements. Some ascended to a great height, and were 

 hardly perceptible in the air, while others gyrated in)mediately above 

 our heads ; many crowde<l on adjoining trees, and witnessed our intru- 

 sion with dismay. On the first occasion, in January, ISG-l, I was alone 

 on the raft; most of the young of the water-crows, storks, herons and 

 darters were fully feathered, and were able to scramble to other nests, 

 and some to the tops of trees ; a few nests contained eggs, and others 

 callo*v young. The water^crows and darters, young as they were, 

 immediately took to the water and dived out of siglit. On the second 

 occasion, in March last, the young of the ibises were fully feathered, 

 as were also a iew gray and purple herons and darters ; two or three 

 nests otdy contained eggs, and some ievf callow young. 



The following is a detailed account of the nests, and of the number 

 of eggs, or young, I found in each nest on the different limes 1 visited 

 the place: — 



1. The small Gray and Black Stork (Leptopiilos jacanica?); 

 Tamil name,"Nutha coottee narai," literally " Shell-fish- [Atvpidlaria) 

 picliing crane." These birds were the most numerous ; their nests were 

 two feet in diameter, and contained three eggs or young. The eggs 

 were of a dirty white colour, of the same shape, but not quite so large, 

 as those of the turkey. The young when fully feathered were in prime 

 condition. The flesh is eaten by INIussulmans and Pariahs. I remem- 

 ber on one occasion, when one was shot in the jungles of Orissa, one of 

 the sepoys, a Bengal Brahmin, begged for the dead bird, which was 

 given him ; and after eating it he came back to say he had enjoyed 

 his dinner greatly : that he had made a hearty one was evidenced by 

 his protuberant stomach. The bird is common about here, but keeps 

 entirely to marshy fields, edges of tanks, &c ; it never approaches 

 towns. Some half dozen or more of these birds may often be seen in 

 the morning, sunning themselves with outstretched wings in the dry 

 fields. They only differ from the adjutant {LeptoptUos Arcjoln) in size 

 and colour. These nest early, and the young are firm on the wing in 

 the month of February. 



2. The Ibis or Curlew {Ibis falcivcllus); Tamil, "Arroova 

 mooken," literally "Sickle- nosed," which name they take from their 

 long curved beaks. The nest of this bird contained from three to five 



