BUTOEIDES. 249 



In "Western Khandesh, says Mr. Davidson, this Heron " breeds 

 from May to July along the Panjra and probably elsewhere." 



Colonel Legge, writing from Ceylon, says that " the Pond-Heron 

 breeds in the south of the island in May and June, commencing to 

 lay about the end of the former month ; it chooses a lonely spot, 

 such as an island in a lake, to form its colony. In such a place 

 on a large sheet of water between Q-alle and Matara, on the 15th 

 of June, 1871, 1 discovered a Heronry. The nests were built on 

 a low bushy tree called in Singalese ' Cadool,' a species of JRJiizo- 

 phora, and the only kind of tree on the islet. In some trees there 

 were five or six nests ; they were constructed of twigs or small 

 sticks, and placed in the forks of branches ; there was but little 

 hollow in them for the reception of the eggs, and no lining ; in 

 fact, they resembled massive Pigeons' nests. In most there were 

 three, in others two, and in a few four eggs. Colour, pale bluish 

 green ; average dimensions of a number of specimens — axis, 1-57 ; 

 diameter, 1'18. At this time a few young were hatched, and a 

 fortnight later I found numbers out; they were to be seen stand- 

 ing np in the nests and, when molested, scrambled along the thin 

 branches, perching on these twigs with the greatest care. In the 

 ^■ery young nestling the bill is fleshy red, and legs and feet bright 

 pea-green." 



Mr. Gates writes from Pegu : — " I have taljen eggs of this 

 species as early as the 31st May, and some at this date were well 

 advanced towards hatching. Most birds frequent trees, but a few 

 apparently nest in the reeds at Myitkyo, though I did not see the 

 nests." 



The eggs of this species are slightly elongated ovals, generally 

 perceptibly pointed at one end and not unfrequently at both ends. 

 Pale varieties are uncommon in this species. As a rule, they are 

 a pretty deep sea-green or greenish blue, and when fresh darker 

 and greener as a body, I think, than those of any of the other 

 small Herons. In most collections that I have seen, the eggs of 

 these various Herons are much intermingled, owing to the habit 

 of numerous species breeding together, not only on the same trees, 

 but even on the same branches, nest touching nest ; but where a 

 large series of eggs of each species have been carefully taken, each 

 will be found to possess a certain character of its own, and in 

 some, as in the present and preceding species, this is well marked. 



In length the eggs vary from 1-35 to 1-62 inch, and in breadth 

 from 1-1 to 1-25 ; but the average of fifty-five eggs is 1'48 by 

 1-17. 



Butorides javanica (Horsf.). The Little Green Bittern. 



Butorides javanica (Horsf.), Jei'd. B. Ind. ii, p. 752 ; Hume, Rough 

 Draft N. §• E. no. 931. 



The Little Green Bittern is generally, though sparingly, distri- 

 buted over the whole country, and is, so far as I have observed, a 

 permanent resident where it occurs. It therefore probably also 



