266 BIEDS OF EGYPT. 



Fam. ARDEID^. 



276. Ardea cinerea, Linn. Common Heron. 



The Heron is to be met with throiigliout Egypt and 

 Nubia, especially on the sandbanks, often in considerable 

 numbers, and in company with Spoonbills, Pelicans, and other 

 Waders. 



Adult. — Forehead, top of the head, neck, a tuft of long 

 plumes on the crop, centre of the abdomen, and under tail- 

 coverts white ; a broad black band over the eye ; back of the 

 head and two long crest-plumes black ; back, wing-coverts, and 

 tail grey ; primaries and most of the secondaries black ; a 

 narrow line of black spots down the centre of the throat ; 

 feathers on the crop and on each side of the abdomen black ; 

 flanks grey ; beak and irides yellow ; legs black. 



Entire length 38 inches ; culmeu 5 ; wing, carpus to tip, 

 18*5 ; tarsus 6'5.. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pk 274. 



277. Ardea purpurea, Linn. Purple Heron. 



This Heron is a resident in the country, and is very plen- 

 tiful in some parts of Lower Egypt and the Fayoom. I met 

 with great numbers on the desert side of Birket el Korn, 

 among the thick banks of sedge that grow in the lake. 

 They are not nearly so shy as the Common Heron, and 

 always frequent the dense reeds ; on being disturbed they 

 would rarely go straight away, but generally flew round 

 over the same spot several times, so that they were easily shot. 



Top of the head, nape, and a crest of two long feathers 

 slaty black ; neck rufous brown, with a black streak running 



