1152 AEDEOLA GEATI. 



vicinity of the fort roosted in the trees in the " Gun Park/' retiring some time before dark, and perching 

 tamely on the branches close to the road. It is proverbial in India for its tameness ; and it manifests an erpually 

 confiding disposition in Ceylon, forbearing to fly up until approached very close, and then merely shifting its 

 ground but slightly, or alighting on a fence, stump, or branch of a tree close at hand. Its tame disposition has 

 earned for it in India the opprobrious names mentioned in the synonymy; but in Ceylon its Sinhalese name 

 has reference only to its flesh, which the natives consider good eating. When watching motionless by a pool, 

 often standing up to its knees among grass, with its head drawn in, its brown back towards the spectator, 

 and its white wings concealed, it is astonishing how very unobservable it is ; but the instant it spreads out its 

 wings to take flight, an attractive white bird catches the eye with almost startling effect, owing to its previous 

 invisibility. The Tamuls, according to Layard, have a proverb that, like this Heron, the deceitful man only 

 occasionally shows himself in his true colours. When startled suddenly it rises with a short hoarse ko-ake, 

 which is almost the only note one ever hears, except at the breeding-time. It rarely perches on lofty trees, 

 preferring stumps, branches of fallen trees near water, stakes, and fences ; and, except when going off to roost, 

 it rarely takes long flights ; the movements of its wings consist of quick flaps, unlike that of other Herons. 

 Frogs are its favourite food ; but it likewise catches water-beetles, crabs, and fish, moderately large examples 

 of which I have taken from the stomach of one shot on the Colombo Lake. 



Nidiji cation. — The Paddy-bird breeds in May and June in the south of the island ; it retires to unfre- 

 quented localities to nest, sometimes to an island in a lake. In such a situation on the Kogalla Lake, near 

 (ialle, I once found a large colony of Pond-Herons breeding in a grove of Kadool trees [Rliizophora mucronata) 

 with which the islet was girt. The nests were built in the forks of branches, and were platforms of sticks and 

 twigs without any lining, measuring from 8 inches to a foot in diameter. In some trees there were as many 

 as five or six nests. The eggs were from two to four in number ; but the average number in a clutch was 

 four ; they varied in shape, some being equally rounded at both ends, others somewhat pointed at the small 

 end. The colour is pale bluish green, and the average size of a number of specimens is l - 57 by P18 inch. 

 Many nests contained young; but, singular to say, only one; and what had become of the others I cannot 

 say. They scrambled out of the nests and crawled along the branches with considerable agility, holding on 

 with their claws when seized. 



In Upper India, writes Mr. Hume, this species breeds in July and August, but in the south in December. 

 Mr. Oates says that in Burmah, occasionally, it apparently nests in reeds. 



Genus BUTOEIDES. 



Bill quite straight, the terminal portion acute ; under mandible markedly slender, but with 

 the gonys pronounced. Wings pointed, the 1st and 2nd quills subequal and longest ; tertials 

 equal to the primaries. Tibia more feathered than in the last. Tarsus short ; tarsal scales 

 transverse, but polygonal or angulated at the sides. Toes short. 



Head crested ; plumage of the neck elongated ; scapulars lanceolate and not decomposed. 

 No change of plumage in the breeding-season. Of semi-noctumal habit. 



