244 
Capt. L. H. Irby on Birds 
165. Platalea leucorodia. (White Spoonbill.) 
Common in flocks at the end of the cold season. 
166. Anastomus oscitans. 
Common throughout the year. At a place named Kupser, on 
the river Kutna, a branch of the Goomtee, this bird breeds in a 
large colony on two or three tall trees growing on the banks of 
the river. The nests are immense stacks, or rather platforms of 
sticks, one above the other, several pairs nesting on each plat¬ 
form, without any apparent separation of the eggs, which, on the 
26th of June, were hard set on and of a chalky-white colour, 
smaller than, but about the same shape as the egg of Ardea 
cinerea. I left India shortly after finding this place, or I should 
have got some young birds to bring up. The immature bird is 
of an ashy-grey colour on those parts of the plumage which 
when adult are white. I have eaten the immature bird, and 
found it tolerably good. 
167. Mycteria australis. (Green-headed Jabiru.) 
Frequently observed throughout the year. Generally they 
are solitary birds, more than three being seldom seen together, 
and very wary. Probably they breed in Oudh, but I never 
could find out where they nested. 
168. Ciconia alba. (White Stork.) 
Common, especially in the cold season; generally seen in flocks. 
169. Ciconia leucocephala. 
Common in the cold season : is not so gregarious as the White 
Stork. 
170. Leptoptilus argala. (Adjutant.) 
Common throughout the year, though it is thought to be 
migratory. 
171. Ardea cinerea. (Common Heron.) 
Numerous during the cold season. That handsome Heron, 
A. goliath , is found in Bengal and Nepal, but I never observed 
it in Oudh. 
172. Ardea purpurea. (Purple Heron.) 
Exceedingly numerous during the cold season. This Heron 
