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HERODIONES. 



278. Grey Heron. Ardea cinerea Linnaeus. 



Ardea cinerea. Shelley, p. 266. 



Abundant in suitable localities from autumn to spring. 

 A few remain to breed in Lower Egypt (Giza) and a few possibly 

 breed in the Faiyum, where I have seen birds at the end of 

 March. Some also breed on the coasts and islands of the Red Sea. 



Length about 40 inches. Adult male slate grey above, 

 with paler grey dorsal plumes. Forehead, crown, and cheeks 

 white ; pkimes of crest blue black ; neck whitish, streaked down 

 the front with dull blackish grey, at base of neck a tuft of white 

 plumes ; under parts white or greyish white. The young birds 

 are duller in colour and lack the white forehead and crown and 

 have no crest or plumes. The adult plumage is sometimes, 

 if not always, assumed during the first year. The members of 

 this family have powdery tufts of decomposed feathers on the 

 breast and lower flanks ; the use of these is unknown. 



279. Purple Heron. Ardea purpurea Linnaeus. 



Ardea purpurea. Shelley, p. 266. 



Passes through Egypt in large numbers during the spring 

 and autumn, when it frequents reed beds in marshy places. 

 It sometimes perches on trees. Possibly a few pairs nest in 

 suitable localities, though there are no positive records. I have 

 seen it once in winter, i.e. January 31, 1919, at Inshas. 



Length about 32 inches. Upper parts dark slate grey. 

 The plumes of the head purplish black, those on the back chest- 

 nut ; neck reddish buff, streaked on the sides with black, at 

 the base a tuft of grey, chestnut and black feathers ; breast and 

 abdomen rufous red ; under wing coverts chestnut. Tlie 

 young birds have no plumes and are lighter and less richly 

 coloured. 



280. Great White Heron. Ardea alba Linnaeus. 



Herodias alba. Shelley, p. 267. 

 During the winter months this large heron is common 

 on the lakes of Lower Egypt, and Shelley met with it in the 

 Faiyum. One was seen on June 3 and 5, 1904, in the Giza 

 Zoological Gardens, and on July 29, 1911, I saw a flock of six- 

 teen flying over the same place. 



