AEDBIEALLA. 251 



measuring about 1-62 x 1'18. On the 20th April following, another 

 nest, with one fresh egg, was found in a similar situation." 



The eggs are very uniform in shape and size, moderately broad, 

 often slightly cylindrical ovals, normally quite symmetrical and 

 obtuse at both ends, occasionally a specimen is met with showing 

 a tendency to point at one or both ends. The shell is extremely 

 fine and compact ; it has no gloss, and is of a uniform pale sea- 

 green ; held up against the light, the shell is an extremely bright 

 sap-green. 



A large series of eggs vary in length from 1-4 to r64, and in 

 breadth from 1-08 to 1-23. 



Ardeiralla flavicollis (Lath.). The Blue Bittern. 



Ardetta flavicollis {Lath.), Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 753. 



Ardea flavicollis, Lath., Hume, Hough Draft N. ^- E. no. 932. 



The Blue Bittern probably breeds over the whole Empire in 

 suitable localities. 



Writing of the nidification of this Bittern in Sind, Mr. Scrope 

 Doig says : — " In January last, Captain Butler in Upper Sind, and 

 I in these districts, both about the same time, thought we saw this 

 bird. On the 4th May, however, I shot a pair and saw some 

 dozen more, since then I have found them in three diiferent places 

 very numerous. Once the sun is well up, they are seldom seen 

 unless actually beaten out of the dense tamarisk and reed jungle 

 in which they lie hid. My plan was to go out some time before 

 daybreak and paddle up in my canoe into the middle of the swamp, 

 and hide in some bunch of rushes and wait till daylight. As day 

 began to dawn birds of various kinds began to appear returning 

 from the scenes of their night's dissipation ; some came along in 

 flocks making a great noise, apparently quite satisfied with their 

 night's work ; others came flitting silently along the top of the 

 reeds, as if they were very much ashamed of themselves for being 

 out so late. Among the latter were A. sinensis, A. miiiuta, and 

 A. Jlavicollis. 



" By remaining hid I could mark down the different thickets 

 into which the birds disappeared, and wlien I thought the birds 

 had all returned I began searching one thicket after another. In 

 this way- I got numerous nests, in each case taking the eggs 

 myself and flushing the birds oil: the nest. The nests are formed 

 of tamarisk-twigs, with sometimes a few aquatic weeds on which 

 the eggs are laid ; they are generally placed about 5 feet over the 

 watei', either in a dense tamarisk-busli or thick clump of weeds, 

 and are about 9 inches in diameter, 3 inches thick, and have a 

 very slight depression in which the eggs, always fom- in number, 

 are laid. The eggs are for the most part very broad ovals, sharp 

 at both ends, and very nearly white in colour, but with a faint 

 suspicion of a dehcate pale sea-green colour. The eggs vary in 

 length from 1-5 to 1-S5, and in width from 1-15 to 1-30, the 

 average length of fifty-three eggs being 1-66, and width 1-26," 



