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283. Squacco Heron. Ardea ralloides Scopoli. 



Ardeola comata. Shelley, p. 269. 



Shelley says that this bird is a resident in Egypt, and 

 Gurney shot one at Damietta in January. During the past 

 twelve years, however, I have only once met with it in winter, 

 and consider it to be a migrant commonest during the spring 

 passage. It is probable that a few nest on the lakes in Northern 

 Egypt, and Gurney has stated that some he saw in June in the 

 Faiyum were probably going to breed there. 



Length about 20 inches. Back vinaceous brown ; dorsal 

 plumes filamentous ; head and neck pale buff ; several long 

 plumes on the back of the head, white bordered with black ; 

 wing coverts buff ; rest of plumage pure white, somewhat 

 washed on the under parts with pale yellow. The young bird 

 is duller and lacks the plumes. 



284. Reef Heron. Demiegretta giilaris Bosc. 



Not mentioned by Shelley. 



Several were seen on the islands in the Eed Sea in January 

 1919 by Captain S. S. Flower and Mr. J. L. Bonhote ; all these 

 were of the white phase of plumage. 



Length about 24 inches. White phase, pure white all over, 

 bill yellow. 



Blue phase, slaty blue grey, rather darker on upper parts ; 

 chin pure white. 



285. Night Heron. Nycticorax griseus (Linnaeus). 



Nycticorax griseus. Shelley, p. 270. 



Abundant during the autumn, winter and early spring in 

 suitable localities. A few remain throughout the summer, 

 chiefly immature examples, and although I am informed that 

 it has formerly bred at Luxor, the first nests I met with were in 

 July 1914 in the Giza Zoological Gardens, where three pairs 

 reared young. In the same place this bird bred in 1915 and 1916 

 in increasing numbers, and now, 1919, many nests are to be seen 

 in the banyan trees in these gardens. 



Length about 23 inches. Adult, back bluish black, as is 

 also the crown and nape ; neck, wings, and tail grey ; under 

 parts creamy white. On the nape from three to ten long white 

 plumes. Iris red ; legs and feet dull yellow. The full plumage 

 is not assumed until the third spring. Young birds are brown, 

 profusely spotted with white above and striped with white and 

 buff below. 



