35 — 
species, Ceryle varia, and of the Indian form of the common 
European species, Alcedo ispida, Koels, Eudynamis }i())wrata^ 
Crow- Pheasants, Centropus sinensis, flocks of Ping-necked 
Parrakeets, Palaeornis torquatus, White-breasted Waterhens, 
Amaurornis phoenicurus^ many very confiding Red-wattled 
Lapwings, Sarcogr animus indicus, Purple Herons, Ardea 
manillensis , Grey Herons, Ardea cinerea, Pond Herons, 
Ard.eola grayi^ Little Green Herons, Butorides javanica, 
Night Herons, Nycticorax griseus^ and Chestnut Bitterns, 
Ardetta cinnamomea. Perhaps the most striking sight of 
all is to see flock after flock of either black or white birds 
fly in, the black flocks being composed of Large Cormorants, 
• Fhalacrocorax carlo, Little Cormorants, Phalacrocorax java- 
nicus, Snake-birds, Plotiis melanog aster ^ and Glossy Ibis, 
Plegadis falcinellus^ Avhile the white flocks comprise the 
Large Egret, Herodias cdba. Smaller or Little Egrets, Hero- 
dias intermedia or Herodias garzetta^ and Eastern Cattle- 
Eo^rets, Buhulcus coromandus. 
It was on May 30, 1913, that I visited the Kankeria 
Tank. I saw two crocodiles and several Soft-Turtles, 
Trionyx. Some of these turtles were very large, and one 
at least Avas of gigantic size. 1 saw it lying out on the bank 
of the causeway that leads to the island. The turtle was 
so big and so fat that 1 had difficulty in believing it to be 
real. I saw it sloAvly stretch out its head and then crawl 
deliberately into the Avater and leisurely swim away. It AA^as 
impossible to estimate its size or weight, I can only say that 
I had no idea that a IHonyx ever greAV so big or so thick 
through, although I have over eighteen years’ experience of 
turtles of this genus in the Ganges, the Malay Peninsula, 
Siam, and the Nile. 
Fishing is prohibited in the Kankeria Tank. The water 
appears to swarm Avith fish, Avhich doubtless provide abun- 
dant food for the water-birds, crocodiles, and turtles. 
Sarkej . 
Sarkej, or Sarkhej, six or seA^en miles from Alnnedabad, 
in Guzerat, Avas Ausited on May 31, 1913. 
