A. CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 361 



valley in autumn (possibly on their way from Nawakot to the 

 plains) J but the Little Egret is never common there. 



929. — Bubulcus coromandus, JBodd. 



Nine specimens, Valley, June — September. — Leng-th, 19'5 to 

 21-7 ; expanse, 35 to 37-5 • wing, 9-5 to 10-5 ; tail, 3-4 to 4-0 ; 

 tarsus, 3 to 3*5 ; tibia bare, 1-4 to 1-8 ; bill from gape, 2-8 to 

 3-1 ; bill at front, 2-15 to 2-4. 



Bill horny yellow to orange yellow ; orbital skin yellow or 

 greenish yellow; irides bright light yellow ; tibia dull yellow or 

 greenish yellow ; tarsus black or greenish dusky ; toes and 

 claws black. 



The Cattle Heron is a permanent resident in the valley of 

 Nepal, and is very common from the beginning of March to 

 the end of November. It is also common in the Nawakot dis- 

 trict in November, and in the Tarai and plains in December. 



930. — ^Ardeola grayi, Syles. 



Six specimens. — Length, 17'5 to 20'7 ; expanse, 25*8 to 29 ; 

 wing, 7'5 to 8'7 ; tail, 2'8 to 3'1 ; tarsus, 2'1 to 2-4 ; tibia bare, 

 0-75 to 0-95; bill from gape, 293 to 3-2; bill at front, 2-2 

 to 2-5. 



Bill blue at base, greenish yellow about the middle, and 

 black at tip ; orbital skin greenish ; irides bright light yellow ; 

 feet dull greenish yellow. 



The Paddy Bird is very common and a permanent resident 

 in the Nepal Valley, the Nawakot district, and the Tarai and 

 plains of Nepal. In the valley it breeds from May to July. 



937.— Nycticorax griseus, JOin. 



Six specimens. — Length, 20 to 24 ; expanse, 38 to 43 ; wing, 

 10-8 to 11-5 ; tail, 4-1 to 45 ; tarsus, 2-7 to 2-9 ; tibia bare, 0-6 

 to 1-03 ; bill from gape, 3-6 to 3-9 ; bill at front, 2-8 to 3-0. 



Bill black above and at tip, the sides mottled dusky and 

 greenish, and the base of the lower mandible yellow or pale 

 greenish horny ; gape and orbital skin pale greenish ; irides 

 scarlet or blood red ; feet pale greenish yellow ; claws dusky 

 horny. 



The Night Heron is a common bird in the Nepal Valley, and 

 resides there permanently. Although it is most frequently seen 

 flying out after sunset to its feeding grounds its habits are 

 not purely nocturnal. I have often seen it flying about 

 during the day, feeding in rice fields and swamps ; and I 

 have shot it at mid-day in such places, in June and July. It 

 commonly haunts the edges of tanks. 



