210 Mr. F. A. Barratt's Notes on the Birds 



gether in the same vley^ but always some distance apart ; and 

 they can be heard a long way off, calling out " maliem " with 

 a delightful mellow note. At the present time I have four 

 living which I brought over from the Orange Free State and 

 Transvaal. They all, with the exception of the young one, 

 have the wliite cheek : I have seen birds from the western 

 coast with it red ; but I have never seen them so from the 

 Transvaal. All I have shot, heard of, or seen^ have had the 

 cheek white. The eggs I have always found to be white with 

 a bluish cast j some state, however, that they are spotted ; but 

 I have never found them so. I have seen these birds a few 

 miles north of Pretoria. 



95. Ardea purpurea. 



The Purple Heron I have met with throughout my travels 

 in the Free State and the Transvaal, but not further north 

 than Nazareth, in the latter State. I found it became less 

 common in the southern portions of the Free State, and A. 

 cinerea seemed to take its place to a great extent. It is not 

 so shy as most of the Herons ; for I could generally easily 

 procure a specimen near Potchefstroom when required. 



96. Ardea garzetta. 



I shot specimens of this lovely little Egret near Pretoria, 

 and I have shot them near Potchefstroom both in winter and 

 summer. 



97. Ardea egretta. 



This graceful bird, with its long sweeping plumes, is too 

 well known to need any description. It is, however, gene- 

 rally very shy, and not easily procured. 



98. Ardea ardesiaca. 



This Heron was shot near Potchefstroom while sitting on 

 a stone. 



99. Ardea leucoptera. 



I shot the best of my specimens of this lovely bird in Octo- 

 ber, when it was in magnificent plumage. It is, however, 

 a rather wary bird ; and I have often watched them from 

 a distance standing near a vley and occasionally curving their 

 long necks. 



