1142 
HERODIAS INTERMEDIA. 
Bibile and Kaloday, on the Batticaloa and Badulla road, I identified as the present species. Northward, about 
Trincomalie and in the vicinity of various large tanks in forest districts, I met with it ; but it is not so 
common there or in the Jaffna peninsula as H. garzetta. Down the northern half of the west coast it is 
probably distributed as in other parts, but I did not take particular notice of it there. Between Puttalam 
and Kurunegala it is not uncommon] and Mr. Parker has met with it in various parts of the North-western 
Province. In the lower valleys of the Kandyan country I have seen white Egrets ; but I do not know 
whether they were this or the next species. 
In India this Egret is common; but, according to Jerdon, not so plentiful in the south, though common 
in the north-east and abundant in Burmah. With regard to the latter district, I find that Mr. Hume has no 
recent record of its occurrence in the southern parts ; but Captain Feilden met with it at Thayetmyo, and 
further west towards India proper it is a visitor toCachar in the rains. In the Andamans it is pretty common, 
though nowhere numerous ; but Mr. Davison does not record it from the Nicobars, although Mr. Hume thinks 
he saw it there. About Colombo it is tolerably common ; but I observe that it is passed over in Mr. Cripps’s 
list. In the western parts of Chota Nagpur it is rare ; but elsewhere in that division it is common, Mr. Ball 
recording it from Manbhum, Lohardugga, and Singbhum ; it is also found in Raipur. In the Deccan it is 
common. As regards the north-western portion of the empire, Mr. Hume writes that this species is not 
uncommon in Northern Guzerat, and has been shot at Mt. Aboo, being likewise pretty common in Kutch 
and Kattiawar, and very abundant in Sindh. It is, I conclude, found in the Punjab; but it does not appear 
to extend in a northerly direction into Turkestan or Kashgharia, nor do I find mention of it in Prjevalsky’s 
‘ Birds of Mongolia/ Eastwards, however, it is found permanently in the southern and central portions of 
China, and ranges in the summer, according to Pere David, as far north as Pekin. In Japan Mr. Blakiston 
notes it as occurring in Yezo. Going south now we find it recorded from the Philippines by Schlegel, and in 
the Malay archipelago it is said to be the commonest of the white Egrets. It is there found in Java, 
Borneo (Sarawak), the Aru Islands, and also New Guinea. It extends to the continent of Australia, where it 
is the Ardea p/umifera of Gould, being there found along the northern coasts and down the eastern shores to 
Victoria ; thence westward it extends to South Australia. Crossing over to Africa I find that it is resident in 
the southern portion of the continent, breeding near the Knysna in Cape Colony ; and in Transvaal it has been 
procured in June and September. It is recorded from Mozambique, and also from Lagos on the west coast. 
In North-eastern Africa Von Heuglin met with it in autumn and winter in the Kordofan swamps, and on the 
Blue and White Nile; but in Lower Egypt it does not appear to be found, as it is omitted from Captain 
Shelley’s book. It is doubtfully recorded by Von Heuglin from Syria on the authority of Hemprich and 
Ehrenberg. 
Habits . — Like the larger Egret last noticed, this species frequents paddy-fields, marshes, and flooded lands 
in Ceylon ; but whereas the latter is generally seen singly, the present bird is usually found in small troops of 
four to a dozen or so. It is a shy bird, and cannot easily be approached within gunshot unless it is stalked ; 
but in the evening, when it assembles to fly off to its roosting-place, the collector, by taking up a judicious 
position, may shoot it while passing over him. It roosts in trees, and during the daytime, when disturbed, 
perches on the very topmost branches, its snow-white plumage presenting, particularly in the northern forests, 
a beautiful appearance from such a position. At the borders of paddy-fields and swamps it may be seen 
perched on mangroves and screw-pines. It is a very silent bird. It feeds mostly on fish, and darts out its neck 
very rapidly on its prey. I have, however, observed it hooking food out of the water with its feet. In Sindh 
this species is, in common with others, captured by native fishermen partly as a decoy for other birds. 
Nidification . — This Egret breeds from December until March and April. In May Layard found eggs 
hard-set in the heronry between Tangalle and Matura. I have found it breeding in March at the small tank 
(Uduwila) already mentioned; also at a tank within a few miles from Trincomalie in January, about which 
time it nests at other localities in that district. In December Mr. Parker has taken its eggs at Nikaweratiya 
tank. The trees chosen are generally of a thorny nature, growing in the water of flooded tanks ; in the upper 
branches of these the nests, which are large stick-structures, are placed, sometimes in company with those of 
other species, or in a tree by themselves to the number of eight or ten. They are repaired yearly, and are flat 
