BUFF-BACKED HERON. 189 



and at present its only known breeding-liaunts in Europe 

 are the southern portions of the Spanish Peninsula. There, 

 from March to autumn, this species is very common in the 

 marshes of Andalucia, where thousands may be seen amongst 

 the cattle, on the backs of which they may often be seen, 

 picking off ticks ; whence their name among the country- 

 people of ' Purga-bueyes,' a corruption of ' Espulga-bueyes,' 

 meaning ' cattle-cleaners.' This Heron is said to have 

 occurred in Madeira. In North Africa, from Morocco to 

 Egypt, it appears to be abundant in suitable localities, and 

 it is to a great extent resident throughout the year ; its 

 distribution extending over that continent down to Cape 

 Colony. It is also common in Madagascar, where Mr. E. 

 Newton thinks that its breeding-season is in September. In 

 Asia, its range is only known to reach to Palestine ; for in 

 India, Ceylon, Burmah, South China, and South Japan, it 

 is replaced by a closely-allied species, Ardea coromanda, 

 which is rather larger, has a longer bill, narrower at the 

 base, the rufous portion of the breeding-dress is a rich 

 orange-colour and extends over the whole neck, and a large 

 part of the tibia is bare of feathers. 



Like its congeners, the Buff-backed Heron breeds in 

 colonies, making a nest of dry sticks and twigs in the reeds 

 of swamps, or in trees : sometimes, according to Von Heuglin, 

 in gardens. Mr. J.H. Gurney, jun., describes a colony of 

 about five hundred birds in the Faioum, which had their 

 nests in a large bed of dead tamarisks, about two to five feet 

 above the water. At the time of his visit — June — none of 

 the nests contained young, and many were in course of 

 building. The eggs were usually three in number, but in 

 one nest there were seven (' Rambles of a Naturalist ' 

 p. 210). Their colour is a very pale blue — almost white— 

 the average measurements being 1-8 by 1*3 in. 



The food of this species appears to consist of ticks {Acari) 

 obtained, as already stated, ft'om the cattle ; beetles and 

 other insects which are turned up by the plough; frogs, 

 grasshoppers, and locusts. The note of the bird is likened 

 by Heuglin to the syllable fjrah. 



