SQUACCO HERON. 395 



January 1881, at Hayburn Wyke, near Scarborough, proved 

 to be an imported bird {Zool. 1881, p. 213 ; and 1889, p. 150). 

 For comments on the authenticity of the British records, 

 see J. H. Gurney {op. cit. 1888, p. 302), 



SQUACCO HERON. 



Ardea ralloides (Scopoli). 



Accidental visitant from southern Europe, of extremely rare 

 occurrence. 



The Squacco Heron is found in central and southern 

 Europe in spring and autumn, migrating in winter to South 

 Africa. 



The first mention of the bird in this county is that con- 

 tained in the Report of Thomas Allis, in 1844, thus : — 



Ardea ralloides. — Squacco Heron — Arthur Strickland says " A 

 specimen of this bird was killed some years ago in the low grounds 

 below Askern, near Pontefract, and is now in my collection." 



There are, so far as is known, but two Yorkshire occurrences 

 of this rare visitant on record. 



The individual mentioned by Allis forms part of the 

 Strickland collection, now in the York Museum. 



A second Yorkshire example was picked up alive on 26th 

 February 1902, by Mr. Thomas Lakin, farmer, Bielby Field, 

 Everingham, in the East Riding, and was preserved by Mr. 

 George Steels of Pocklington, to whom I am indebted for 

 the particulars concerning its capture. The specimen is now 

 in the possession of its captor. 



NIGHT HERON. 

 Nycticorax griseus (Z.), 



Accidental visitant from southern and eastern Europe and Africa, 

 of very rare occurrence. 



The Night Heron nests on the Continent of Europe, and 

 is also found throughout Africa and the south of Asia. 



