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encountering a turbid sea. The granite slabs that form the pavement beneath these trees are so 

 bedaubed with the droppings of old and young, that permission to scrape them clean daily might 

 prove a fine speculation for the guano-collector. The birds, from the protection afforded them, 

 were remarkably tame, and we could stand beneath the trees and watch them without their 

 evincing the slightest fear. This was in April. Some might be seen sitting on their nests, with 

 their long legs bent under them, the weight of their bodies resting for the most part on the 

 tarsal joint ; others standing on single leg close by, with shortened neck, the beak and head 

 occasionally moving partially round as on a pivot ; others flapped to and fro, ruffling up their 

 head-gear, and occasionally sparring together. In their various movements the dark green-black 

 of the head and back with the thin snow-white occipital streamers flowing and quivering over 

 the latter gave a quaint though not ungainly look to the birds. From some of the nests we 

 heard a subdued chattering like the cry of young ; and it was to feed these hungry mouths that 

 the parents were constantly leaving the trees to seek for food at all times of the day ; while others 

 were returning with supplies. As the sun set, however, they became more active. While I sat 

 watching them from a neighbouring roof-top in the evening, numbers of them emerged from the 

 leafy darkness, and one by one settled on the stark bare outstanding arms of the cotton-tree. 

 After resting for a little time like gaunt spectres on the tree-top, off they went, one after the 

 other, with a ' kwa ' — seldom more than two in the same direction. As darkness set in, manv 

 returned, and the noise and hubbub from the trees rose to a fearful pitch. Until night hid them 

 from my view, I could see the old birds going and coming, and hear the clamour of the young. 

 What kind of nocturnal slumbers the priests enjoyed in the temple below, I never took the 

 trouble to inquire, though I have little doubt that, from constant use, the noise of these croakers 

 has become quite essential to their good night's rest. 



" Though these birds moved about very much during the day, yet it strikes me that twilight 

 is the most active time with them, and that in most instances the departures during the day 

 were to seek food for the newly-hatched young, which would require feeding oftener at first, and 

 perhaps with more choice food. 



" I sent my man up one of the trees, whence he brought down three nests, two of which 

 contained eggs, and the third, two young birds and one egg. Judging from their size, one of 

 these little birds must have been born at least three days before the other ; and on opening the 

 egg I found a live chick inside, which would have required at least two days before it could have 

 ventured out. The varying stages of the embryos in the other six eggs confirmed this idea. I 

 should say the differences between them could not have been more than six days, and certainly 

 not less than three ; so that the Night-Heron must commence sitting on the first egg laid, and, 

 while engaged in its incubation, keep on laying, at fixed intervals, the other two, which form 

 the complement." 



The flight of the Night-Heron is silent and soft like that of an Owl ; and when on the wing 

 the bird draws its neck in so that it looks quite short, and carries its legs stretched out behind. 

 Its call-note, which consists of a harsh croak resembling the syllable JcwaJc, is seldom uttered 

 during the daytime ; but at night this bird is rather noisy than otherwise, especially at its 

 breeding-places. It perches and walks about on the thin branches of trees with ease, and will 

 step easily, though sedately, along a slender branch without using its wings or losing its balance 



