NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF UPPER ASSAM. 731 



from a "pookri"at the foot hills, a favouritehaunt of Buffalo. Iris bright 

 yellow ; bill black, inside dirty red ; tarsus salmon red. 



$, 13-1-05. The gullet of this specimen contained 2 fish 10" in length. 

 This bird was one of a party of six to eight individuals which frequented 

 Bhimpoora bhil. 



427. Lepto])tilus javanica (Horsf.) [1551]. — The Smaller Adjutant. 

 Sparingly distributed in suitable localities. 



Khuddom, North Lakhimpur, 28-11-04, sex undetermined : Bhimpoora 

 ''bhil", North Lakhimpur, 19-12-05, c? ; Dejoo, 18-10-08, d ; 17-11-10*, 

 counted twenty-four this evening flying leisurely in a westerly direction. 



L. dubius possibly occurs, although no personal observations available to 

 prove its existence. S ■ Iris pearl white ; orbital skin and gular patch 

 continued to ears cabbage red ; neck yellow ochre, lower portion cabbage 

 red ; bill horny yellowish, dirty at base ; tarsus black as if coated with a 

 limy wash. 



428. Ardea purpurea manillensis (Meyer.) [1554]. — The Eastern Purple 



Heron. 



Ardea 9?i«m7/erm,<, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iv., p. 381. 

 Locally distributed throughout the whole district, frequents the dense 

 reed vegetation along the banks of the sluggish rivers and "bhils" and 

 generally roosts in companies. Iris light yellow ; orbital skin yellow green : 

 bill and tarsus yellow, olive and green. 



429. Ardea cinerea, L. [1555]. — The Common Heron. 



Plentifully distributed; although frequents the dense reed thickets of the 

 "bhils", is more partial to the open expanses of water and tanks or 

 " pothar " land under water. In the cold season collects in some numbers 

 along the sandy stretches of the large rivers as noted on the Subansiri 

 below Boduti, 13-1-11, left bank in particular. Tinsukia, 20-2-02; 

 Gogaldhubie, 6-1-05, S ■ Iris yellow ; orbital skin, gape and cere greenish- 

 yellow ; base of upper mandible to beyond nostrils pale blue ; lower 

 mandible slightly similarly tinged, remainder of bill dirty yellow ; culmen 

 black, yellow line carried to tip under lower mandible ; tarsus greenish 

 yellow; claws horny. 



430. Ardea insifjtm, Hodgs. [1557].— The Great White-bellied Heron. 

 Confined principally to the rivers at the base of the hills on the north 



frontier ; during the cold season it extends into the plains, odd birds seen 

 at rare intervals at this period on the Gurrung Jan, right bank river Dibru; 

 Kungagora in heavy forest, the farthest distance from the foot hills that 

 have come under observation although the sandy banks of the Subansiri 

 from Boduti to Dhunsirimukh are invariably also frequented by this Heron 

 at this time, noted on one occasion, 2-11-07. Observed on the upper 

 reaches of the Panchnoi, Daphla hills ; Dejoo R., Runganuddie •, Dholong 

 R., on several occasions,- soHtary and wary, seldom taken by surprise 

 excepting when a sharp corner of some of the stony beds of the minor streanis 

 is negotiated it is then suddenly disturbed at very close range. This 

 Heron as it stands motionless on a rapid of the fast flowing water when the 

 rivers are in spate and the atmospheric conditions are anything but cheer- 

 ing adds a touch of wildness to the impressive character of its surroundings. 

 Joyhing, Runganuddie, 3-12-10, c? . Iris dull ochreous yellow; loral skin, 

 orbital ring and base of lower mandible greenish ; bill, upper mandible 

 and inner margin of lower mandible blackish-slaty, tip of lower mandible 

 underneath greenish-ochre, remaining portion mussle grey ; tarsus black 

 with horny patches ; claws black. 



