366 SQUACCO HERON. 



is generally distributed in suitable localities throughout Central and 

 Southern Europe, from spring to autumn. In Spain it arrives in 

 April, though in the valley of the Danube it does not do so before the 

 middle of May. From the Canaries eastward we find it numerous 

 and resident in North Africa — including Egypt, and it inhabits that 

 vast continent as far south as Namaqua Land on the west, and the 

 Transvaal and Natal on the east ; while Sir Edward Newton ob- 

 tained it in Madagascar. Persia appears to be its eastern limit in 

 Asia. 



The Squacco Heron breeds in colonies, in company with other 

 members of the family ; building a slight nest of sticks, on bushes or 

 trees in flooded marshes. Mr. W, E. Clarke in Slavonia, and Messrs. 

 Seebohm and Young on the Lower Danube, found eggs by May 26th, 

 but in dry seasons laying does not become general until at least a 

 week later. The eggs, 4-6 in number, are greenish-blue — smaller 

 than those of the Buff-backed Heron : average measurements i'^ by 

 I •! in. In its breeding-haunts this species is very pugnacious towards 

 its congeners. The food consists largely of water-beetles and other 

 insects, small crabs, molluscs, frogs, minute fish, and occasionally small 

 mammals, an entire shrew having been found in the crop of one 

 examined by the late Mr. Rodd. In its habits this bird is somewhat 

 inactive, passing the greater portion of the day in one position, the 

 head being drawn in between the shoulders like that of a Bittern ; and 

 in Spain Col. Irby noticed that it did not frequent the grazing-grounds, 

 after the manner of the Buff-backed Heron. It is usually very silent, 

 but occasionally utters a harsh rarr. In dry seasons the nuptial 

 dress is sometimes not assumed until late in the spring, and in 

 Andalucia in 1868 I found that even on May 21st some birds were 

 rather bare on the neck. 



The adult in breeding-plumage has the head and hind neck pale 

 buff", streaked with dark lines ; the occiput furnished with eight or 

 nine long lanceolate plumes, which are pure white in the centre and 

 margined with black ; sides and front of the neck warm buff; back 

 darker, the dorsal plumes elongated and filamentous ; wing-coverts 

 pale buff; rest of plumage white ; bill cobalt-blue at the base, black at 

 the point ; lores naked and green ; irides yellow ; legs yellowish-pink ; 

 soles yellow. Length 19 in. ; wing 9 in. In the immature plumage 

 — more frequently seen in this country — the streaks on the neck are 

 longer and broader, and the- ground-colour is mixed with ashy- 

 brown ; the back, and the ends of the inner secondaries are wood- 

 brown ; and, the younger the specimen, the darker are the feathers 

 along the middle of the back. 



