THE CATTLE-EGRET. 
251 
This Heron is entirely a sea-coast bird^ loeing found singly or in small 
parties on tlie shore or a short distance up some of the larger creeks. It 
breeds from April to June^ making a nest of sticks in a low tree on some 
small island, and laying pale green eggs. 
Genus BUBULCUS, Pitcher. 
616. BUBULCUS COROMANDUS. 
THE CATTLE-EGHET. 
Cancroma coromanda, Sodd. Tahl. PL Enl. p. 54. Buphus coromandus, Jerd. 
B. Ind. ii. p. 749 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 160; Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi. p. 481 ; Anders. 
Yunnan Exped. p. 688 ; Bingham, 8. F. ix. p. 197 ; Kelham, Ibis, 1882, p. 193. 
Ardea coromanda, Hume, Nests atid Eggs, p. 618. Bubulcus coromandus, 
Salvad. TJcc. Born. p. 350 ; Hmne, S. F. iii. p. 190 ; Armstrong, S. F. iv. p. 349 ; 
David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 441 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 1147 ; Hume, 8. F. 
viii. p. 114 ; 8cully, 8. F. Viii. p. 361 ; Oates, 8. F. x. p. 243. 
Description. — Summer plumage. The whole plumage white except the 
head_, neck, breast and dorsal plumes, which are a rich golden buff. The 
feathers of the head lengthened, forming a bushy crest ; the dorsal plumes 
reaching to the end of the tail, and the pectoral plumes lengthened. 
In winter the whole plumage is white and the dorsal plumes are cast off 
or much reduced in length. 
Iris pale yellow ; eyelids yellowish ; bill, gape and facial skin orange- 
yellow ; tibia and knee dusky yellow ; tarsus and toes greenish black ; 
soles green ; in winter the bill is pale yellow. 
Length 20*5 inches, tail 3' 4, wing 10*2, tarsus 3*5, bill from gape 3. 
The female is of the same size. 
The Cattle-Egret is abundant in all the plains of British Burmah, and 
is a constant resident. 
It inhabits Southern China and Cochin China, the Indo-Burmese 
countries and the whole of India and Ceylon ; it ranges down the Malay 
peninsula and is met with in Java, Borneo, Celebes and the Philippine 
Islands. 
This Heron is found in small parties in fields accompanying grazing 
cattle, and does not much affect water or swampy localities. I have never 
found its nest ; but in India it breeds in societies with other Herons, making 
a stick nest in trees from April to July and laying four or five very pale 
green eggs. 
