484 RESEARCH IN CHINA. 
ANNOTATED LIST OF BIRDS. 
COLYMBIDZ. 
Colymbus ruficollis PALLAS. Little Grebe. 
Colymbus ruficollis PALLAS: Vroeg’s Catal., 1764, Adumbr., p. 6 (Holland). 
Observed in September, along the marshy borders of the Sungari river in Manchuria, 
at the point where it is crossed by the Port Arthur branch of the Chinese-Eastern railway. 
ARDEID., 
Ardea cincrea LINN.“US. Gray Heron. 
Ardea cinerea LINN&%US: Syst. Nat., ed. 10, I, 1758, 143 (Sweden). 
Much the commonest heron in north China. During the warmer months it was seen 
in central Manchuria, and thence southwest as far as southern Shen-si and the Yang-tzi river. 
It appears to winter in suitable places throughout most of this range, for it was observed, in 
January, in the mountains west of Pau-ting-fu. The gray herons are usually found singly 
in marshes or along streams. 
(2?) Herodias timoriensis (LESSON). Timor Egret. 
Ardea timoriensis LESSON: Traité d’Orn., 1831, 575 (Timor). 
A small white heron, probably of this species, was rather common in the marshes of the 
Wei valley in Shen-si. It is possible that the bird seen was Mesophoyx intermedia Wagler, 
which differs from the Timor egret only in having an occipital crest. 
Butorides javanica (HORSFIELD). Oriental Green Heron. 
Ardea javanica HorsFIELD: Trans. of the Linnean Soc. of London, x1, Part i, p. 190, 1821 
(Java). 
A rather common bird in the mountain valleys of southern Shen-si. It frequents the 
terraced rice-fields particularly. It closely resembles the American B. virescens in its 
actions and silent manner. 
Ardetta sinensis (GMELIN). Yellow Bittern. 
Ardea sinensis GMELIN: Syst. Nat., 1, 642; 1788 (China). 
The yellow bittern was met with only in the valley of the Han river and its tributaries, 
in southern Shen-si. Like its congeners, it frequents marshy localities and, in this region, 
the rice-fields. Most of the least bitterns are birds of retiring disposition, seldom flying 
unless disturbed; but the present species is often seen in flight like any other heron. 
CICONIIDZE. 
Ciconia nigra (LINN&US). Black Stork. 
Ardea nigra LINN&US: Syst. Nat., ed. 10, 1, 142, 1758 (Sweden). 
The black stork appears to have a wide distribution in northern China, during all 
seasons of the year. We found it in Shan-tung, in November, in the mountains west 
of Peking in January, and in the Wei valley of Shen-si in March. It goes in small flocks 
which follow the larger rivers, as a rule. It is not uncommon to see a small company of 
these storks half asleep on a sand-bar, each one standing on one leg and as motionless as a 
statue. When the bird flies the white under parts are very conspicuous. 
Pseudotantalus leucocephalus (PENNANT). Painted Stork. 
Tantalus leucocephalus PENNANT: Indian Zoology, x1, plate 10, 1769 (India or Ceylon). 
A small company of these birds was observed on the lower course of the Ta-ning-ho, 
in eastern Ssi-ch’uan, early in June. 
