266 
BIRDS OF BRITISH BURMAH. 
found geDerally in small flocks and sometimes singly. I have never taken, 
its eggs. In India it breeds on trees_, laying four pale bluish- white eggs. 
Dr. Mason includes Ciconia alba in his list of the birds of Burmah ; but 
I think there must be some error_, for I have never heard of any one having 
seen it in the Province. In case^ however, that it should occur, I append 
a short description of if^. 
Family TANTALID^. 
Subfamily AN ASTOMATIN^. 
Genus ANASTOMUS, Bonn. 
630. ANASTOMUS OSCITANS. 
THE SHELL-IBIS. 
Ardea oscitans, Bodd. Tabl. PI. Enl. p. 55. Anastomus oscitans, Jef^d. B. Ind. 
ii. p. 765 ; Hume, Nests and Eg(js, p. 630 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 158 ; Hume, S. F. 
iii. p. 192 ; Bingham, S. F. iv. p. 212 ; Cripps, S. F. vii. p. 310 ; Hume, S. F. 
viii. p. 114 ; Legge, Birds Ceylon, p. 1103 ; Oates, S. F. x. p. 244. 
Description. — The nestling is a light grey, a little darker on the head 
and neck, w^liere the feathers are short and the webs hair-like ; the upper 
back, winglet, primaries^ secondaries, tertials, scapulars and tail are black, 
shot with green and purple reflections ; the naked skin about the chin and 
base of the beak and the orbits are greenish black j the bill dark green ; 
the legs brown, tinged with pinky red (but generally covered by a whitish 
scurf of dirt and droppings) and the irides brown. As the bird grows 
older, the grey assumes a lighter colour, the black of the back disappears, 
and the irides get a darker brown. In May, through an actual change of 
colour in the feathers themselves, the grey becomes pure white; and this is 
the breeding -plumage, which lasts till the beginning of September, when 
the bird moults and again assumes the grey phase of plumage. (Bingham.) 
* CICONIA ALBA. 
THE WHITE STORK. 
Description. — The wliole plumage white, except the scapulars, quills and greater wing- 
coverts. 
Length about 42 inches, tail 10, wing 24, tarsus 8, bill at front 7*5. 
