SQUACCO HERON. 193 



both there and in other parts of that vast Continent, as far 

 south as Namaqua Land on the west and the Transvaal and 

 Natal on the east. In Madagascar it was obtained by Mr. 

 E. Newton. 



The Squacco Heron breeds, as already stated, in colonies ; 

 its slight nest being built, according to Mr. Seebohm, on 

 the same model as those of the Little Egret and Night- 

 Heron, the twigs radiating from the centre. On the Danube 

 the nests were in pollard willows ; but on Lake Halloula, in 

 Algeria, Canon Tristram found them on tufts of reeds, and 

 composed of great heaps of water-weed and rushes. The 

 Squacco is a very late breeder, and its eggs are seldom laid 

 before the 10th of June ; they are from four to six in 

 number, of a greenish-blue colour, and average in measure- 

 ments 1*5 by 1*1 in. In its breeding-haunts it is described 

 as being very pugnacious towards otlier species. 



The food of the Squacco Heron consists largely of water- 

 beetles and various kinds of insects, small crabs, mollusks. 

 frogs, minute fish, and occasionally small mammals, an 

 entire shrew having been found in the crop of one examined 

 by Mr. Rodd. Naumann says that this species affects 

 the company of swine ; but Colonel Irby remarked that in 

 Spain it did not frequent the grazing-grounds of cattle after 

 the manner of the Buff-backed Heron. It is a very silent 

 bird, but occasionally utters a harsh karr. In its habits it 

 is somewhat inactive, passing the greater portion of the 

 day in one position, the head being drawn in between the 

 shoulders like a Bittern. 



The adult bird has the beak cobalt-blue at the base, black 

 towards the point ; the lore naked and green ; the irides 

 yellow ; the feathers on the top of the head pale yellow- 

 brown, streaked longitudinally with dark lines, the feathers 

 becoming elongated towards the occiput, with a dark line 

 along each outer edge ; the feathers forming the occipital 

 plume are eight or nine in number, and from four to six 

 inches in length, lanceolate, pointed, pure white along the 

 centre, bounded on each side with a black line, with a very 

 narrow terminal margin of white ; the sides, front of the 



VOL. IV. c c 



