212 RAMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



to go far. They were always perched on the upper part of 

 the reeds ; one, which was in the middle of a bush, when it 

 saw me, commenced with deliberate steps and beak pointed 

 upwards to ascend a slanting branch, with the object I 

 suppose of getting to a clear place to fly away. This un- 

 healthy morass is on the south edge of the lake, about 

 opposite Abouquisse. 



I should add that the species is found at Damietta, as 

 Mr. Hughes purchased a good specimen which had been 

 obtained there.* 



176. Bittern, Botaums stcUaris (Linn.) ; " Uak." 



One, Damietta, January. The eye turns downwards in 

 its socket in this species. 



177. Night Heron, Nycticorax griseus (Linn.) ; (23, Alccdo 

 cegyptia, Hasselquist) ; " Uak sagar." 



I presume the Night Heron is resident, though I cannot 

 say I saw any during the latter part of my tour. Li the 

 Delta we sometimes saw them singly, but generally in small 

 flocks, upon the tops of trees ; never on the banks with the 

 Common Herons. On January 17th we saw about thirty — 

 the largest flock we saw in Egypt — at Shibrue. There were 

 several adult birds, but for the most part we saw immature 

 ones in the Delta ; whereas in Upper Egypt I believe we 

 never met any except adults — single birds hiding themselves 

 during the day in the umbrageous tops of the palms, which 



* I have heard of several Little Bitterns being kept in confinement. 

 A hard fate befel one of ours : it stuck its beak too far through the 

 bars of its cage, and a malevolent Peacock wrenched off the upper man- 

 dible. The same spiteful trick was played by a Parrot on one of its 

 smaller brethren. 



