AVIFAUNA OF CHOTA NAGPUR. 435 



262— Butorides javanica, Eorsf. (931.) 



The Little Green Heron is to be found in almost every river 

 in Chota Nag-pur. 



263.— Ardetta cinnamomea, Gm. (933.) 



On one occasion, (8th April 1871) when walking- up the 

 grass-grown bed of a stream in the Gurjat State of Udipur, 

 I flushed the Chestnut Bittern. 



I am not aware of any of the other species of Ardetta or 

 even the Bittern (Botaurus stellaris) having- been obtained in 

 Chota Nag-pur. 



264— Nycticorax griseus, Lin. (937.) 



The Night Heron is tolerably common in all parts of the 

 Division. Large numbers of them roost on the islands in the 

 lakes in the civil stations of Ranchi and Purulia. Except on 

 these islands I have never seen it roost in any other trees but 

 tamarinds. 



Dr. Jerdon writes that he has never seen this bird abroad 

 during the day. The same has been my experience with the 

 exception of one occasion — a very hot day in April — when, in 

 the district of Singhbhum, I saw a large number of them in 

 the bed of a river standing by the waters' edge, and perched 

 about on neighbouring bushes. I shot several of them, which 

 were on low bare trees close to my tent. 



TANTALID^. 



265.— Tantalus leucocephalus, Gm. (938.) 



This bird, though common in many parts of India, is of rare 

 occurrence in Chota Nagpur. I have very seldom seen it, and 

 never had a chance of shooting it. I saw one specimen which 

 was killed in the Koel river in Palamow. 



266.— Anastomus oseitans, Bodd. (940.) 



I have found the Shell Ibis to be pretty generally distributed 

 in parties of from three to twelve throughout Chota Nagpur. 

 Though preferring jheels and marshy ground it is not unfre- 

 quently to be seen in the beds of the larger rivers, sometimes 

 even where they traverse hilly jungle country. 



I am somewhat surprised to observe that Captain Beavan 

 reports having seen this bird on only one occasion, and he 

 therefore concludes (l that its habitat is probably somewhat 

 restricted." 



