ARDEIDJE. 



33 



Young. Head, neck, and upper plumage blackish brown, spotted with 

 white ; below white, very thickly covered with blackish-brown spots, 

 but vary much. Length 30 inches. 





1 



Order HERODIONES, Family ARD El D^l. 



182. COMMON HERON. Ardea cinerea, Linnaeus. Resident. 



Male. General colour ashy grey ; crown white ; crest and nape black ; 

 hind neck pale grey ; sides of breast black. 



Female. Crest less developed and plumage duller. 



Young. Crown ashy ; sides of breast striped with black ; no plumes 

 on back. Length 36 inches. 



183. PURPLE HERON. Ardea purpurea, Linnaeus. Straggler to 

 England on migration ; once in Scotland ; once in Ireland. 



Adult. Crown and crest black, with purple sheen ; back, wings, and 

 tail dark slate-grey ; plumes on back pale chestnut ; under wing-coverts 

 chestnut ; thighs rufous buff ; breast rich maroon-red. 



Young. General colour above rusty red ; below brownish white. 

 Lengtl/30-32 inches. 



184. GREAT WHITE HERON. Ardea alba, Linnaeus. Very rare 

 straggler to Great Britain ; not observed in Ireland. 



Entirely white ; bill and iris yellow ; legs and feet black. 

 In summer. Has bill black and many very long filamented plumes on 

 back. Length 36-42 inches. 



185. LITTLE EGRET. Ardea garzetta, Linnaeus. One authentic record : 

 Devon, 1870. 



Entirely white ; bill and legs black ; iris yellow. 



In summer. Has long filamentous plumes on back, and two or three 

 long feathers pendent from crown. Length 20 inches. 



Europe, 



N. Africa, Asia, 



passing S. in 



winter. 



C. & S.E. 

 Europe, Asia, 

 Africa. 



S. Europe, 

 Asia, Japan, 

 and Ceylon, to 

 N. Australia, 

 Africa. 



Ardea lubulcus, Audouin. s. Spain, 



Africa. 





186. BTJFF-BACKED or CATTLE HERON. 

 One occurrence : Devon, 1805. 



In summer. Crown, nape, feathers hanging from lower neck, and 

 plumes on back reddish buff ; these feathers are elongated and hair-like, 

 especially on the .back ; rest of plumage white ; bill reddish at base, 

 yellow at tip ; iris rich pink, with golden ring round pupil. 



In winter. Entirely white, except a patch of reddish buff on head ; 

 bill and iris yellow. Length 18 inches. 



187. SQUACCO HERON. Ardea ralloides, Scopoli. 

 England on migration ; rarely to Scotland or Ireland. 



Straggler to S. Europe, 

 Asia Minor, 



Head light buff, with crest of from eight to ten elongated, narrow, wintering in 

 pointed white feathers, bordered at the sides with black ; plumes on S. Africa, 

 back dark reddish brown to light buff, long and hair-like ; wings, rump, 

 tail, and lower parts, except the buff leathers pendent from neck, white ; 

 bill leaden blue at base, black at tip. Length 18 inches. 



