274 AEDEID^. 



Ardetta cinnamomea, 6r»i. ; Gray, III. Ind. Zool. pi. 66. i. ; 



Jerd. B. Ind. iii. p. 755; Str. F. ii. 31] ; vi. 483; Murray, Hdbh., 

 Zool, 4-c., Si7id, p. 228.— The Chestnut Bittern. 



Top of head, back and scapulars chestnut, the feathers centred 

 slightly darker; chin and throat white, with a median chestnut line; 

 foreneck and breast chestnut, the feathers slightly darker mesially, and 

 the edges of those on the breast fulvous ; a median fulvous line on the 

 foreneck ; thigh-coverts also chestnut ; primaries, secondaries and tail 

 dark brown ; wing-coverts like the back, but more fulvous ; flanks bufly, 

 the feathers mesially streaked with dusky ; abdomen, vent and under 

 tail-coverts white with a fulvous tinge in some; bill yellow, dusky 

 superiorly ; orbitar skin yellow ; irides yellow ; legs yellowish with a 

 greenish tinge. 



Length.— 15 to 16 inches, wing 6, tail 1-75, bill at front I'S to 2, 

 tarsus 1'9 to 2. 



In immature plumage the upper parts, wing-coverts, scapulars, neck 

 in front and breast, also the thigh-coverts are reddish brown, or slightly 

 darker, the feathers of the back and breast margined from ferrugin- 

 ous buff to fulvous. 



Hah. — Sind, and nearly throughout India. 



Ardetta sinensis, Gmelin ; Hardivick ^ III. Ind. Zool. pi. ; Jerd. 

 B. Ind. iii. p. 755, No. 934; Str. F. i. 308; ii. 311 ; Murray, Edhk., 

 Zool., Sfc, Sind, p. 229. — The Yellow Bittern. 



Top of head cinnamon rufous, the feathers centred broadly with 

 black, giving it quite a black appearance; neck behind, back, scapulars, 

 tertiaries and wing-coverts deep cinnamon-rufous, the feathers margined 

 with fulvous or bright buff; primaries and secondaries, greater wing- 

 coverts and tail black ; edge of wing and under wing-coverts fulvous 

 white ; chin and throat white, with a median buff line ; sides of the 

 breast deep brown, margined with buff; breast bright buff, margined 

 paler ; abdomen, vent, and under tail-coverts buffy white ; legs yellowish 

 green ; bill pale yellow, brownish superiorly. 



Length. — 13 inches, wing 5-25, tail 1*75, bill at front 2, tarsus 1'7 to 

 1'8, mid-toe 1 inch. 



Hab^ — Sind, Bengal, Kutch, Deccan and nearly throughout India, 

 though less common than the last, and frequenting similar situations, 

 i.e., high reed and thickets. All the species are nocturnal feeders, and 

 remain hid during the day in dense cover. 



Ardetta minuta, Linn.; PI. E. 323; Naum. Vogt. t. 227; Gould. 

 B. Eur. pi. 282 ; Jerd. B. Ind. iii. p. 766, No. 935 ; Murray, Edbk., 

 Zool., ^c, Sind, p. 228. — The Little Bittern. 



Top of the head, back, scapulars and tail black, with greenish 

 reflections ; hind -neck nearly bare of feathers, those of the foreneck 

 falling back and covering it; cheeks, chin, neck and all the lower 

 parts of the body reddish buff or inclining to chestnut ; the feathers 

 on the sides of the breast are black, edged with buff; those of 

 the flanks long, and narrowly striped mesially with pale brown; 



