District of Matatiele, East Griqualand. 35 



69. Ardeola ralloides (Scop.). Squacco Heron. 



Not common, and only seen during the summer months. 

 Most of those met with appear to he immature birds. 



70. Ardea purpurea, L. Purple Heron. 

 Fairly common and resident. 



71. Ardea cinerea, L. Grey Heron. 

 (Common and resident. 



72. Ardea melanocepfiala, Vio:. & Childr. Black-headed 

 Heron. 



Common and resident. This Heron appears more of a 

 land-bird than most of the family, and is usually to be seen 

 out on the veldt or in corn-lands, stalking along on the look- 

 out for the locusts, beetles, mice, &c. which seem to form its 

 principal food. 



73. BuBULCUS IBIS (L.). Cattle Egret. 

 Scarce. I have only met with two or three. 



74. Herodias garzetta (L.). Little Egret. 



Scarce. I have only seen two or three specimens asso- 

 ciating with the next species. 



75. Herodias beachyrhyncha, Brehm. Yellow-billed 

 Egret. 



This is the most plentiful of the white Egrets in this district, 

 and although not common is pretty generally distributed in 

 small numbers. On one of the farms, however, where there 

 is a large reed-bed, they ars common and roost in the reeds. 

 It is a very pretty sight, on a fine summer evening, to see 

 them going to roost. They arrive in parties of three and 

 four, and lake a long time to settle down, squawking 

 and squabbling for the best places ; every now and then 

 something disturbs them, and the whole lot rise like a 

 white cloud, only to settle down again in a minute to begin 

 the whole disturbance over again. This particular reed-bed 

 is also the roosting-place of vast numbers of Spreos and 

 Bishop Birds, together with Purple Herons and Marsh- 



3* 



