EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 63 



known as a summer visitor, and to the east it breeds in the valley 

 of the Danube, South Kussia, the basin of the Caspian, and 

 Palestine. 



On the Lower Danube the nests of the Squacco Heron were 

 built on the same model as those of the Little Egret and Night 

 Heron, the twigs of which they were composed being arranged 

 from the centre, thus forming radii, whilst those of the Common 

 Heron and the Pigmy Cormorants were arranged, as usual, round 

 the centre, forming arcs. The Squacco Heron builds a very 

 slight nest, somewhat deep, though the sides permit the eggs to 

 be seen through the sticks, the more, solid part of the nest not 

 exceeding six inches across. 



The eggs are from six in number, and are greenish-blue in 

 colour; they vary in length from 1*6 to 1*5 inch, and in breadth 

 from 1'2 to 1*06 inch. 



THE BUFF-BACKED HERON. 

 (Ardea bub ulcus.)* 



Plate 17, Fig. 5. 



The Buff-backed Heron has scarcely any claim to be regarded 

 as a British bird, having only been obtained in this country three 

 times. It is an African bird, resident throughout that continent, 

 breeding in all suitable localities from Algeria and Egypt in the 

 north to Cape Colony and Madagascar in the south. This species 

 is an accidental visitor to Madeira and to various parts of South 

 Europe, and is also an accidental straggler to the South of France, 

 Italy, Sicily, Greece, and South Russia, but is not known to have 

 occurred in Northern Europe. 



The nest is composed of sticks, and probably does not differ 

 much from that of the Squacco Heron ; but we have no reliable 

 information on the subject. The number of eggs varies from three 

 to five. They are almost white in colour, but are slightly shaded 

 with bluish-green, and, after they are blown, the dark-green of the 

 inner shell is visible through the hole when held up to the light. 

 They vary in length from 1/9 to 17 inch, and in breadth from 

 132 to 1-28 inch. 



* Bubulciis lucidus (Rafin.)— Sharpe, Handb., III., p. 86. 



