1142 HEEODIAS INTEEMEDIA. 



Bibile and Kaloday, on the Batticaloa and Badulla road, I identified as the present species. Northward, about 

 Trincomalie and in the vicinity of various large tanks in forest districts, I met with it ; but it is not so 

 common there or in the Jaffna peninsula as H. garzetta. Down the northern half of the west coast it is 

 probably distributed as in other parts, but I did not take particular notice of it there. Between Puttalam 

 and Kurunegala it is not uncommon; and Mr. Parker has met with it in various parts of the North-western 

 Province. In the lower valleys of the Kandyau country I have seen white Egrets ; but I do not know 

 whether they were this or the next species. 



In India this Egret is common ; but, according to Jerdon, not so plentiful in the south, though common 

 in the north-east and abundant in Burmah. With regard to the latter district, I find that Mr. Hume has no 

 recent record of its occurrence in the southern parts ; but Captain Feilden met with it at Thayetmyo, aud 

 further west towards India proper it is a visitor to Cachar in the rains. In the Andamans it is pretty common, 

 though nowhere numerous ; but Mr. Davison does not record it from theNicobars, although Mr. Hume thinks 

 he saw it there. About Colombo it is tolerably common ; but I observe that it is passed over in Mr. Cripps's 

 list. In the western parts of Chota Nagpur it is rare ; but elsewhere in that division it is common, Mr. Ball 

 recording it from Manbhum, Lohardugga, and Singbhum ; it is also found in Raipur. In the Deccan it is 

 common. As regards the north-western portion of the empire, Mr. Hume writes that this species is not 

 uncommon in Northern Guzerat, and has been shot at Mt. Aboo, being likewise pretty common in Kutch 

 and Kattiawar, and very abundant in Sindh. It is, I conclude, found in the Punjab; but it does not appear 

 to extend in a northerly direction into Turkestan or Kashgharia, nor do I find mention of it in Prjevalsky's 

 ' Birds of Mongolia.' Eastwards, however, it is found permanently in the southern and central portions of 

 China, and ranges in the summer, according to Pere David, as far north as Pekin. In Japan Mr. Blakiston 

 notes it as occurring in Yezo. Going south now we find it recorded from the Philippines by Schlegel, and in 

 the Malay archipelago it is said to be the commonest of the white Egrets. It is there found in Java, 

 Boi-neo (Sarawak), the Aru Islands, and also New Guinea. It extends to the continent of Australia, where it 

 is tbe Ardea plumifera of Gould, being there found along the northern coasts and down the eastern shores to 

 Victoria ; thence westward it extends to South Australia. Crossing over to Africa I find that it is resident in 

 the southern portion of the continent, breeding near the Knysna in Cape Colony ; and in Transvaal it has been 

 procured in June and September. It is recorded from Mozambique, and also from Lagos on the west coast. 

 In North-eastern Africa Von Heuglin met with it in autumn and winter in the Kordofau swamps, and on the 

 Blue and White Nile; but in Lower Egypt it does not appear to be found, as it is omitted from Captain 

 Shelley's book. It is doubtfully recorded by Von Heuglin from Syria on the authority of Hemprich and 

 Ehrenberg. 



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Habits. — Like the larger Egret last noticed, this species frequents paddy-fields, marshes, and flooded lands 

 in Cevlon ; but whereas the latter is generally seen singly, the present bird is usually found in small troops of 

 four to a dozen or so. It is a shy bird, and cannot easily be approached within gunshot unless it is stalked ; 

 but in the evening, when it assembles to fly off to its roosting-place, the collector, by taking up a judicious 

 position, may shoot it while passing over him. It roosts in trees, and during the daytime, when disturbed, 

 perches on the very topmost branches, its snow-white plumage presenting, particularly in the northern forests, 

 a beautiful appearance from such a position. At the borders of paddy-fields and swamps it may be seen 

 perched on mangroves and screw-pines. It is a very silent bird. It feeds mostly on fish, and darts out its neck 

 very rapidly on its prey. I have, however, observed it hooking food out of the water with its feet. In Sindh 

 this species is, in common with others, captured by native fishermen partly as a decoy for other birds. 



Nidification. — This Egret breeds from December until March and April. In May Layard found eggs 

 hard-set in the heronry between Tangalle and Matura. I have found it breeding in March at the small tank 

 (Uduwila) already mentioned ; also at a tank within a few miles from Trincomalie in January, about which 

 time it nests at other localities in that district. In December Mr. Parker has taken its eggs at Nikaweratiya 

 tank. The trees chosen are generally of a thorny nature, growing in the water of flooded tanks ; in the upper 

 branches of these the nests, which are large stick-structures, are placed, sometimes in company with those of 

 other species, or in a tree by themselves to the number of eight or ten. They are repaired yearly, and are flat 



