3oO NIGHT-HERON. 



are on record ; while in Ireland about twenty examples have been 

 obtained in various localities, from Cork to Donegal. 



The Night-Heron occasionally wanders to the Fteroes, South 

 Sweden and Denmark, but even on the southern side of the Baltic 

 it is rare, and of late years has gradually been driven from many of 

 its nesting-places in the northern portions of Germany and Holland. 

 In France it is chiefiy known on migration, though it breeds 

 sparingly in the south ; it nests in the Spanish Peninsula, as well 

 as on the mainland of Italy — which it leaves in autumn, though 

 resident in Sardinia ; while on passage it visits the coasts and other 

 islands of the Mediterranean. Large colonies are found on the 

 Danube, and throughout the districts of the Black and Caspian Seas. 

 Eastward, it is distributed throughout temperate and southern Asia, 

 as well as over the whole of Africa ; in fact it is almost cosmopolitan, 

 inasmuch as slightly varying forms inhabit America, from the Fur 

 Countries down to the Falkland Islands. In Australia, and north- 

 ward to the Pelew Islands and Celebes, the representative is iV^ 

 cakdonicus, which has the upper parts of a bright cinnamon-colour. 



The Night-Heron breeds in colonies, usually building a nest of 

 small sticks radiating from the centre, on trees or tamarisk-bushes in 

 swamps ; but in China, where it is held sacred, large groves are 

 selected, and Swinhoe has described a vast assemblage round the 

 great Honam Temple at Canton, where the nests are placed thickly in 

 some venerable banyans. In some parts reed-beds are chosen, and 

 in the swamps of Lake jNIichigan dead rice-stalks are built up into 

 solid structures. The 3-5 eggs are very pale greenish-blue, slightly 

 pointed at both ends : measurements 2 by i"4 in. The bird com- 

 mences sitting at once, and there is an interval of some two days 

 between the laying of each egg. In Andalucia Mr. R. B. Lodge 

 found eggs by May 8th, but further north incubation is later. The 

 food consists of water-insects and their larvK, worms, snails, small 

 fishes and frogs. The note is a mournful qua-a, seldom uttered in 

 the daytime, though after dark the birds are very noisy. 



The adult male has the crown, nape, and middle of the back 

 greenish-black ; neck, wings and tail grey ; under parts greyish- 

 white ; at the nape three to ten long white plumes ; bill blackish 

 above, lower mandible and lores lead-colour ; iris brick-red ; legs 

 and feet yellow. Length about 23 in. ; wing 12 in. The female is 

 duller in colour and has shorter nuchal plumes. The young bird has 

 the upper plumage umber-brown, with paler streaks and white spots ; 

 under parts striped with white, buff, and brown ; no crest. Young 

 males are capable of reproduction while still in immature plumage. 



