156 



British Birds. 



time in the nest and are fed by the parents, are bristly httle creatures, covered with 

 greyish down, with grey filamentous plumes on the head. The Heron nests in 

 isolated colonies all over the British Islands, generally in trees, but where these 

 are not available, on rocks or even in scrub near the ground. It is also found 

 nesting over the greater part of Europe and Northern Asia, as well as in Africa, 

 India and China. The food of the Heron consists of fish and frogs. The nest 

 is rather a large structure of sticks, brought by the male to the female, by whom 

 the nest is built, the lining being composed of smaller twigs. The eggs are three 

 or four m number, of a greenish-blue colour, and measure from two-and-a-quarter 

 to two-and-a-half inches in length. 



The present species is pure white, but is distinguished from 

 the Egrets by its much larger size. It differs from the Common 

 Heron in having no crest, and in its beautiful dorsal train of 

 ornamental plumes. The bill is black in summer and yellow in 

 winter. The species has occurred about 

 eight times in England and Scotland, but 

 can only be considered a rare and accidental 



THE GREAT 



WHITE HERON. 



(Heyodins albci.) 



The Little Egret. The Pvkple Heron. 



The Buff-backed Egret. The Squacco Heron. The Great White Heron. 



