KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 56- N:0 2. i'M 



288. Herodias alba. Linn. — The Large Egret. 



Herodias alba: Gyldenstolpe I i>. 72; Robinson I p. 89. 



The Large Egret was also found in Northern Siarn, though it was by no means as 

 comnion here as in tho parts of Central Siarn visited during my former journey to Siam 

 1911—1912. 



289. Demiegretta sacra. Gm. — The Eastern Reef-Heron. 



Demiegrctta sacra: Robinson & Kloss p. 15; Robinson II p. 143; Robinson III p. 726. 



$ Kob Lak 21 /n 19U. I- = 572 mm.; W = 272 mm.; T = 106 mm.; C = 80 mm.; Tarsus = 70 

 mm. — Irides: yellow. Bill: liorny black. Legs: greenish yellow. 



A few specimens of the Eastern Reef-Heron were observed along the coast of the 

 Gulf of Siam at the neighbourhood of Koh Lak. I only obtained one female specimen 

 in the grey phase of plumage. Among the specimens observed only one was in white 

 plnmage. 



The Reef-Heron occurs single or more seldom in small flocks along the sandy shore. 

 It is rather shy and difficult to obtain. 



290. Gorsachius melanolophus. Raffl. — The Malay Bittern. 



Gorsachius melanolophus: Robinson & Kloss p. 15. 



$ Koh Lak ls / 12 1914. L = 482 mm.; W = 252 mm.; T = 90 mm.; C = 45 mm.; Tarsus = 64 mm. 



— Irides: yellow. Bill: horn colour. Legs: yellowish brown. 



A few specimens of this rare Bittern were observed on the top of a solitary lime- 

 stone hill, situated quite close to the sea-shore a few miles south of Koh Lak in the Siamese 

 Malaya. 



The summit and slopes of this hill were clothed with dense evergreen forests and 

 in such a forest the birds were observed on the 12th of December 1914. A fine female 

 was then obtained, but though I made several excursions to this same place again, I 

 always failed to get some more specimens and not a single bird was observed any more. 



This species is very shy and retiring and very little is known of its habits. It seems 

 to live on the ground among dense undergrowth, but as soon as it sightens any danger 

 it at once moves up in a tree, where it is very difficult to detect on account of the pro- 

 tecting colour of its plumage. 



It has a harsh, uncanny note, which I only heard them utter once, when two speci- 

 mens, probably males, were chasing each other among the trees. 



291. Butorides javanica. Horsf. — The Little Green Heron. 



Butoriäes javanica: Gyldenstolpe III p. 236; Muller p. 436; Grant p. 116; Robinson & Kloss p. 15. 



ef Chum Poo V» 1914. L = 425 mm.; W = 186 mm.; T = 71 mm.; C = 67 mm.; Tarsus = 47 mm. 



— Irides: yellow. Bill: black (lower mandible yellowish green). Legs: yellowish brown. 



K. Sv. Vet. Akad. Handl. Band 56. N:o 2. 18 



