Notes on the Birds of the Samlhur Lake S)- its vlciuitf/. 899 



923. — Ardea cinerea, L. 



The blue heron is very rare about this. I have only seen three 

 specimens, and of these I obtained two. 



926. — Herodias intermedia, Hasselq. 



This eg-refc is not very common. 



927. — Herodias garzetta, L. 



This species is somewhat commoner than the last. Iride3, 

 pale-yellow. 



929. — Bubulcus coromandus, Bodd. 



The cattle egret is very common about this. It breeds in 

 June and July. In a village close to Sambhur I found a breed- 

 ing place in which some hundreds of birds had their nests. 



930. — Ardeola Grayii, Syhes. 



This species is not very common. Its favorite hunting 

 ground is an open well with a moderate amount of grass on the 

 sides. 



931. — Butorides javanicus, Sorsf. 



I have never shot this bird here, but during the rains of 1871 

 a pair were seen on the edge of a water-course, and my servant 

 obtained the male bird. The head and crest feathers are dark 

 glossy green. There is a well defined line of darkish rufous 

 grey from the beginning of the throat to the breast. 



938. — Tantalus leucocephalus, Gmel. 



The Pelican Ibis is not often met with in this neighbourhood. 

 I have generally observed solitary birds, and these frequent the 

 open wells which are used for irrigating the fields. One which 

 I shot in December 1872 had the glossy green reflections on the 

 wings and tail very brilliant, and on the breast a black band 

 which broadened on the flanks, with white tippings to all the 

 feathers. Bill, pale-yellow, dusky-greenish at the base; skin 

 on head and throat, gamboge-yellow ; irides, pale-brown. Fe- 

 male, length, 38; expanse, 69*75; wing, 19-5 ; tail, from vent, 

 6*5 ; bill, from gape, 9-3 ; tarsus, 9*2; mid-toe and claw, 4'7. I 

 saw a pair on 25th May 1873. 



939.— Platelea leucorodia, L. 



I have met with small flocks of the spoonbill during the 

 rains onlv. 



