THK LITTI^ GRElSf HERON 
Wc have never secri this species feeding' out in the open on the 
mud-flats. If it is not actua.lly in the maiig^rove it is iisiially 
somewhere else well protected by vegetation or the 
conformation of the ground. Sometimes they may be Pushed 
from narrow drains and small concealed pools. We have seen 
them sitting on the top of extremely tall trees resting in such 
a way that at first we mistook them for pigeons. 
The usual sight one has of a heron in Singapore is of a 
SoHtary bird, slightly larger than a pigeon, leaving the bank 
of a creek, or the shore, with a slow flapping flig^bt : on tlie 
wing it looks quite grey, the long neck is curled up between 
the shoulders, the bill is pointed straight ahead and the legs, 
often conspicuous on account of their colour, are stretched out 
behind. It is by no means a noisy bird but as it flies away it 
sometimes utters a single harsh note. 
Othey habits:— The food consists of small fishes, 
crustaceans (especially crabs), frogs, etc. The eggs, very pale 
green in colour, are from tbree to five m number and the nest 
which is a rough affair made of sticks is placed rather low down 
in a tree or bush often actually over the water. Wc have never 
seen a nest ourselves and compile these notes from published 
authorities. The bird certainly breeds in Singapore for we 
have seen nestlings taken on the island. 
Most writers seem to agree that this heron rests in cover 
during the day and hunts at dusk, altliough Blanford notes 
tliat it is less nocturnal than the bitterns and may be occasionally 
seen fishing in the day time in shady places. An observation 
of Kelham's demonstrates bow unsafe it is to dogmatize on 
the habits of a bird, Kelham in writing of Pulau Nongsa, 
near Singapore, says: — "Near its shores were long rows of 
fishing stakes projecting some feet out of the water, on whidi 
sat hundreds of small green herons (Butorides javanicus). On 
our approach they rose in regular flocks". 
[87] 
