THE LESSER ADJUTANT. 
263 
countries^ the Malay peninsula, Siam, Cochin China, Sumatra, Java and 
Borneo. 
This immense Stork is very abundant during the cold weather, visiting 
the plains of Pegu in large flocks, and a few apparently remaining all the 
year through. It is found in paddy-fields, grass-plains and swamps — any- 
where, in fact, where its food (frogs, reptiles and fish) is abundant. It is 
met with in the streets of the large Indian towns, being there semi- 
domesticated. I found it breeding in the forests west of Shwaygheen and 
north of Paghein in November, constructing a large nest of sticks in very 
lofty wood-oil trees and laying three whitish eggs. It breeds in company 
with Pelicans, and the eggs of both are very similar in size and colour ; 
but the interior skin of the Adjutant^s eggs is dark green, of the Pelican's 
white j and therefore the eggs can be safely separated at a glance. 
627. LEPTOPTILUS JAVANICUS. 
THE LESSER ADJUTANT. 
Ciconia javanica, Horsf. Trans, Linn. Soc, xiii. p. 188. Leptoptilus javanicus, 
Jerd. B. Ind. ii, p. 732 ; Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 358 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 159 ; Hmne, 
8. F. iii. p. 189 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 449 ; Hume 8f Dav. S. F. vi. 
p. 469 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 1113; Bingham, S. F. vii. p. 25; Oates, S.F. 
vii. p. 51; Sharpe, Ibis, 1879, p. 72; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 114, ix. p. 235; 
Parker, S. F. ix. p. 483 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 242 ; Kelham, Ibis, 1882, p. 190. 
Description. — Male and female. The head and neck covered with a few 
soft decomposed feathers, which are closer together on the nape and hinder 
neck ; crown of the head bony, smooth and perfectly bare ; neck-ruff and 
whole lower plumage white ; the Avhole upper plumage, wings and tail 
dark brown, with a slightly greenish gloss in places and the smaller 
feathers more or less edged paler. 
The fully -fledged nestling has the head naked to about half an inch 
behind the eye ; the throat and neck are sparsely covered with light brown 
down; the nape and hind neck are thickly covered with long dark- brown 
feathers ; the under tail-coverts are much developed and decomposed ; 
these, with the whole remaining plumage, are white, except the wings, tail 
and scapulars, which are blackish with a metallic gloss. 
Bill dirty yellowish ; bare top of head dirty green ; nude face and neck 
much tinged with yellow and at seasons with red ; irides whitish ; legs 
dusky black. [Jerdon.) 
Length about 54 inches, tail 10, wing 25, tarsus 9, bill from gape 10*5. 
The female is probably smaller. 
