SQUACCO HERON. I45 



Notasque paludes 

 Deserit atque altam supra volat ardea nubem. 



The Heron leaves his swampy shores 

 And high above the clouds he soars. 



Bacon echoes this opinion and says : " the Heron when she 

 soareth high, showeth wind." 



[Ardea purpurea — Purple Heron.] 

 A rare straggler to the South of England. 



[Ardea alba — Great White Heron.] 

 Of accidental occurrence in Britain. 



[Ardea garzetta — Little Egret.] 

 Has occurred several times in the British Islands. 



[Ardea bubulcus — Buff-backed Heron.] 

 Three times in the south of England. 



ARDEA RALLOIDES— Squacco Heron. 



This beautiful little Heron, a native of the South Western parts 

 of Asia, and of Egypt and Nubia, is but a very occasional summer 

 migrant to the British Islands. There is no doubt that it has 

 visited Herefordshire. One specimen, is said to have been shot on 

 "the Lugg, at Sutton," but neither date nor authority is given for it. 



The following instance, however, is beyond dispute. In the 

 summer of 1873, ^^ the Old Weir, on the river Wye, five miles 

 above Hereford, Mr. Thomas Jowett saw a small flock of five birds 

 with snow-white plumage, flying over the river. He got his gun, 

 and by a very long shot succeeded in winging one of them, which 



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