758 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



pale asparagus-green eggs. The Bittern feeds on frogs, fish, &c, 

 and it is recorded that a Water-Rail entire was taken out of the 

 stomach of one in Scotland. It is said to utter its booming call 

 in the air rising to some height. It is excellent eating, not fl shy- 

 in the smallest degree, and has a high game flavour. The Bittern 

 is found throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. 



Other Bitterns are B. minor, from America, occasionally killed 

 in Britain ; B. limnophilax, Temm., from Java; B. heliosylos, 

 Lesson, from New Guinea, and B. ausiralis, Gould, from Australia. 

 Nycticorax goisaki, Temm., from Japan, made the type of Gorsachius 

 by Bonaparte, is a true Bittern ; and Mr. Blyth has just written 

 me that it appears to be the same as Ardea melalophos, Raffles, 

 often sent from Malacca. Tigrisoma, or the Tiger-bitterns are 

 confined to America. 



Gen. Nycticorax, Stephens. 



Char. — Bill short, stout, culmen curved ; wings with 3rd quill 

 longest ; tarsus short, reticulated in front, with large hexagonal 

 scales; feet moderate; claws short, curved; head crested; tail 

 broad, even. 



The Night-herons form a well marked group, of purely nocturnal 

 habits ; the neck is short, covered with lax feathers. 



937. Nycticorax griseus, Linnaeus. 



Ardea, apud Linnaeus — Blyth, Cat. 1646 — Jerdon, Cat. 311 

 — Sykes, Cat. 179— Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 279— IVak, H.— 

 Oyah Beng.; also Kowa dauk, and Batchka, Beng. — Chinta wakka, 

 Tel. — Gadri in Sindh. 



The Night-Heron. 



Descr. — Forehead and a narrow streak above the eye white ; 

 crown of the head, upper part of back, and scapulars, black 

 glossed with green ; occiput with a crest of three (or more) narrow 

 long white feathers, 6 to 7 inches long, channeled, and fitting into 

 each other ; lower back, wings, and tail fine blue grey ; all beneath 

 pure white. 



Bill black, yellowish at the base ; lores and orbits yellowish- 

 green; irides blood red; feet yellowish-green. Length 21 to 



