GREAT WHITE HERON. 149 



AEDEA ALBA, Linnaeus. 

 GKEAT WHITE HERON. 



I have felt some doubts as to whether this fine 

 species can be fairly included in the Norfolk list, but 

 on the whole, I think I should be least justified in 

 omitting it. A fine specimen in Mr. Gurney's posses- 

 sion was purchased by him, with other rarities (all of 

 which he was assured at the time had been killed in 

 this county) of the late Mr. Thurtell, of Eaton, when 

 selling off his collection of Norfolk birds. * Another 

 example of this bird, in Mr. Stephen Miller's collection 

 at Yarmouth, was also sold in 1853, but of its history, 

 unfortunately, there is no record, nor am I aware in 

 whose possession it now is. To this, however, may be 

 added, on the authority of Mr. Joseph Clarke, of Saffron 

 Walden, that Mr. Miller once found "the wings and 

 feathers" of a great white heron somewhere near 

 Yarmouth. 



The following instances of the occurrence of this 

 heron in the adjoining county of Suffolk are thus given 

 by Messrs. Sheppard and Whitear : " On the 3rd of 

 October last (1823 or 1824) in a walk on the banks of the 

 river Stour, we observed a large White Heron cross over 

 from the Suffolk to the Essex side of the river. It 

 appeared to be pure white, and to stand up rather taller 

 than some Common Herons which were feeding not far 

 off. A similar bird was observed in the spring on the 

 Oakley shores ; and subsequently to our observation, one 

 was seen on the banks of the river Orwell." 



* Most of the rarer birds in Mr. ThurtelTs collection were 

 formerly in the possession of the late Mr. Hunt, as I am informed 

 by his son. But unfortunately the " British Ornithology" never 

 having been completed, there is no letter-press to accompany Mr. 

 Hunt's clever drawing of the great white heron. 



