Mr. S. S. Allen on the Birds of Egypt. 33 



These birds especially affect the society of cattle, and may be 

 seen feeding about among the legs of the cows and buffaloes in 

 the most fearless manner, like starlings in a flock of sheep, fre- 

 quently perching on the backs of the lazy animals in the same 

 way. The Arab name " Abou Gerdan " (father of flocks), the 

 French "I'Herou Garde-bceuf," and the Latin specific appella- 

 tion " bubulcus " all have reference to this marked peculiarity. 



Contrary to the usual custom of the Herons and Egrets, most 

 of which are piscivoi'ous, the " Buff-backed " does not feed upon 

 fish, but upon the various kinds of insects, particularly grass- 

 hoppers, which are so abundant in the rank herbage produced 

 by the peculiar system of irrigation which obtains amongst the 

 Arabs. They are consequently seldom seen near the water's edge. 

 About dusk they retire to the trees to roost ; and though I have 

 occasionally seen them in the date-palms, they generally choose 

 the Sycamore, or wild fig-tree, for that purpose. 



It is frequently asserted that the Arabs consider this bird as 

 sacred, and that killing one is looked upon as a serious offence ; 

 but I believe this is not the case, at least not in a religious 

 sense. I have sometimes, on having shot one for a specimen, 

 been reproached for so doing, much in the way that we should 

 speak to any one who killed a robin ; and I think that this 

 more correctly represents the feeling on the point, although it 

 is a hopeless task to try to make an Arab understand anything 

 of an abstract nature. 



During the winter the plumage of the Buff-backed Heron 

 is of a creamy-white colour, with a small reddish-buff patch 

 on the top of the head, the legs and feet being black. About 

 the commencement of April, longer feathers, of a pale buff, 

 begin to appear on the back, neck, and crest (the rest of the 

 plumage remaining in statu quo). These continue to grow in 

 length and deepen in colour until the end of May, by which time 

 the summer dress is complete. At the same time the legs and 

 feet change to a pale yellowish olive. The bill at all times is of 

 an ochraceous yellow, and the irides vary in different specimens 

 (probably according to age) from pale to bright yellow. The 

 lore is greenish. The male is generally rather larger than the 

 female, and the long feathers are a little more developed. 



VOL. V. D 



