hall 
186 BIRD GALLERY. 
No. 134. CREAM-COLOURED COURSER. 
(Cursorius gallicus.) 
This species is an irregular straggler to Europe, and about a score of 
individuals have been procured in Great Britain, chiefly in the southern 
counties of England. Its true home extends from the Canary Islands 
and North Africa, through South-western Asia, to India. It frequents 
sandy districts, where the surroundings harmonize in colour with its 
plumage and afford equal protection for its young and eggs. The 
latter, which are two in number and yellowish-buff, thickly spotted and 
freckled with yellowish-brown and grey, are laid on the bare parts of 
the desert, where the stones are mostly small. The male bird takes no 
part in the duties of incubation, but is said to assist in caring for the 
young. 
Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, March. 
Presented by E. G. B. Meade-Waldo, Esq. 
No. 135. COMMON HERON. (Ardea cinerea.) 
This species is generally distributed throughout the British Islands, 
and during the breeding-season is usually met with in colonies, known 
as heronries ; but from August onwards it often leads a solitary 
existence on the coast and inland waters. Its nests are generally 
placed on the tops of high trees, sometimes on sea-cliffs or rocks, and 
occasionally on the ground ; they are large flat structures formed of 
sticks and lined with roots and dry grass. From three to five uniform 
bluish-green eggs are laid in March or, in mild seasons, even as early as 
January. Both parents assist in providing the young with food, which 
consists of fish, frogs, reptiles, young water-fowl, mice and voles, as 
well as worms, molluses, and insects. 
Perthshire, June. 
Presented by W. R. Ogilvie-Grant, Esq. 
No. 136. COMMON SCOTER. ((demia nigra.) 
Vast numbers visiv our seas in winter, and the species is especially 
abundant on the east coast of Great Britain, where it is often found in 
numbers exceeding those of any other Duck. In spring the majority 
of adult birds depart to the north of Europe, but some remain to breed 
in the north of Scotland, The food consists chiefly of molluses, which 
