732 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIII. 



Pathalipam, Subanairi, 19-12-10; $ , adult. Iris pale ochreous yellow ; 

 bill bluish-black, tinged greenish at base, underneath lower mandible pale 

 horn ; tarsus and claws black. 



431. Hgretta intermedia intermedia (Wagl.) [1560]. — The Smaller Egret. 



Herodias inter-media, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iv., p. 386. 

 Specimens secured on the Dibru (March) and at Bhimpora bhil in North 

 Lakhimpur (December) out of large parties, probably is generally distribut- 

 ed. Iris and bill yellow ; tip of bill dusky in non-breediog season. Egretta 

 alba and E. garzetta, both possibly occur but the Egrets have been neg- 

 lected. E. garzetta may also have been overlooked as it can easily be con- 

 fused with Bubidcus coromanda in non-breeding plumage which also is 

 almost pure white though odd specimens at times show a trace of orange- 

 buff markings in particular on the crown ; the only safe character whereby 

 the two species may be distinguished when not available for comparison is 

 the bill of the former which is black at all seasons. 



432. Bubidcus coromanda (Bodd.) [1562]. — The Cattle Egret. 

 Tinsukia, " pothars " (Plains), April, also 31-10-02,(5', numbers seen stalk- 

 ing over the swampy ground evidently feeding on various Odonata with 

 outstretched neck and much flapping of the wings apparently, also with success 

 although a dragonfly on the wing is no easy ca^Dture. No doubt other winged 

 insects were also in demand. Specimens in white non-breeding plumage 

 secured in the cold weather at Margherita and Komolabari. 



433. Ardeola grayi (Sykes) [1565]. — The Pond Heron. 



Extremely common in low-lying land throughout the plains. These Herons 

 are an excellent example of protective coloration as they squat with closed 

 wings amongst the vegetation ; the contrast when they rise and show their 

 white feathers is startling. 



434. Butorides striata javanica (Horsf.) [1567]. — The Little Green Heron. 



Buto rides javanica, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iv., p. 395. 

 Confined to the banks of the rivers, equally suited to the clear swift flow- 

 ing- waters of the hill rivers or the turbid sluggish rivers in the plains. 

 This little Heron is an adept at crouching amongst the stones and skulking 

 in the dense vegetation although it is anything but wary. 



435. Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax (L.) [1568]. — The Night Heron. 



Nycticorax griseus, Blanford, F. B. I., Vol. iv., p. 397. 

 Occurs in the vicinity of Dibrugarh at all events, though the fact of not 

 having specimens from other localities is more than likely due to its being 

 overlooked. 



436. Gorsachius (Gorsakius) melanolopha (Raffles) [1569]. — The Malay 



Bittern. 



Lilabari to Pathalipam (Rajghur)j North Lakhimpur, 9-10-07, J . 



Dejoo (Rajghur), North Lakhimpur, 24-5-08, S , (3032), breeding. 



Parent bird shot off nest which contained four eggs, average size 

 2" X 1^", in color dirty yellowy white, hard set, and in one example 

 chipped with the chick on the point of emerging. Nest originally found 

 on the 12-5-08 was placed on the branch of a light tree overhanging 

 a small stream in forest about 20' in height from the bed of the stream 

 and was a flimsy piled up structure of thin twigs. It was quite impossible 

 to examine the nest without climbing up the tree and at great difficulty 

 lopping ofl" the heavy branch overhanging whilst my man made a feeble 

 attempt at supporting some of the weight with a forked sapling whilst it 

 was gradually drawn towards me. During this time the rain fell in torrents 



