Page:The Common Birds of Bombay.djvu/197

Rh out of their element. Then they go down "the red lane" without further ceremony, for the throat of the Heron, slender as it looks, is wonderfully elastic. Almost all the Herons make their nests in company in some large tree. The Pond Herons of Back Bay have appropriated a large tamarind tree in Marine Lines, on the top-most twigs of which, from the month of May onwards, you will find a whole village. The nests are like those of crows, but not so well built.. The eggs, four or five in number, are of a greenish blue colour. At nesting time the Pond Heron is rather noisy. Its voice is a short croak, or cough, not the least musical.

Next come the White Herons, or Egrets, pure white birds, more graceful in every way than the podgy Pond Heron. There are three species, which differ from one another only in size. The largest is about the size of the English Heron, but pure white all over. It is not very common here, nor is the next, which is a size smaller. The third, which Jerdon calls The Little Egret (Herodias garzetta), is very plentiful and would be more so if Goanese gunners did not persecute it for its flesh and its feathers. The feathers are exported to Europe in large quantities for the decoration of women's hats, or some such shameful purpose. The Little Egret is somewhat larger than the Pond Heron and much taller. During the breeding season it is adorned with long, flowing plumes on the back and breast, and two thin, hairlike feathers droop from the back of its head. Wherever there is shallow water, or flooded ground, this species may be seen in companies wading for little frogs and fishes. I once saw one trying to swallow a