PURPLE HERON 



247 



As the nestling and eggs are unknown in this country, it is unnecessary 

 that they should be described, although it may be mentioned that the 

 down of the former is white. 



To the eastward the range of the purple heron extends into south- 

 western Asia, but in India and Burma the species is replaced by the 

 closely allied eastern purple heron (A. manillejisis), distinguished by 

 the absence of black streaks on the fore part of the neck. Both species 

 are shy skulking birds, much less in evidence than the grey heron, 

 owing to their habit of hiding among tall reeds, or in grass, above 

 which only their long necks and 

 heads are visible, and of feeding 

 to a considerable extent at night. 

 Their breeding-habits are like- 

 wise decidedly different from 

 those of the grey heron, the 

 Indian species nesting in thickets 

 or bulrush - brakes, while the 

 European bird prefers to make 

 its nursery among rushes, some- 

 times close to the bank of the 

 marsh, but on other occasions 

 far out in the water. When 

 flushed, purple herons rise with 

 a loud harsh cry. 



In this place may be briefly 

 mentioned three beautiful repre- 

 sentatives of the heron tribe so 

 rarely met with in this country 

 that neither of them deserves to 

 be included in the list of truly 

 British birds. The first and 



largest of them is the great white heron, Herodias alba, representing 

 a genus distinguished from Ardca by the wholly white plumage 

 and the relatively short beak, which is considerably inferior in length 

 to the shank of the leg. In size the white heron is approximately the 

 same as the grey heron. The proper home of the species during the 

 breeding-season is the south of Europe and Central Asia. A consider- 

 able number of reputed occurrences of this heron in the British Islands 

 during the nineteenth century have been reported ; but, according to 

 an ornithologist who made a special investigation of the subject, only 

 five of these can be considered thoroughly authenticated. The first of 



STUDIOS 



GREAT WHITE HERON. 



