182 A HANDBOOK OF EUROPEAN BIRDS. 
Distribution: Inhabits ~Southern Europe and Africa 
generally, but occurs in a in the south-western parts 
only. 
Habitat: Marshes; pastures, often among cattle or wild 
animals, 
SQUACCO HERON. 
Ardea ralloides Scop. 
Adult: Crown feathers much elongated, white, edged with 
black ; sides of face, neck, chest and back creamy-buff, becom- 
ing browner and shaded with purple between the shoulders ; 
crop feathers much elongated (less so in female); rest of 
plumage white ; bill black at tip, pale bluish at base ; legs and 
feet olive ; claws black ; lores and orbits green ; irides yellow. 
Length 18°5 inches; culmen 2°6; wing 8'5 to 9; tail 3°5; 
tarsus 2°25. 
Immature Birds: Differ only from adults by having 
much shorter occipital plumes, which have a buff ground-colour 
and not white ; back darker in general tint and throat feathers 
streaked with black. 
Distribution: Inhabits Southern Europe and Africa, 
ranging eastward to the Caspian. Of casual occurrence only 
in Northern or Central Europe. 
Habitat: Marshy localities, often found with herds of 
domesticated animals. 
Genus NYCTICORAX. 
NIGHT HERON. 
Nycticorax griseus (Zzm7). 
Adult : Crow, nape, back and scapulars black, with a green 
ustre especially on the back ; zéngs and tail grey ; long plumes 
depending from occiput and rest of plumage (including fore- 
head and eyebrows) white ; bill blackish ; legs and feet brown : 
irides dark red. Length 27 to 23 inches; culmen 2°75 ; wing 
rm*5 to 123 tail 4°O$ tarsts 3, 
