60 AHDEID^E ARDEA 



as well as insects and sometimes even small mammals. Its cry 

 is a harsh " kronk." Contrary to its usual habits in Europe, it 

 nests in South Africa as a rule on the ground in reed beds, and 

 not in trees; the nest itself is made of reeds, and sometimes there 

 are a number of pairs all nesting in the same place. Layard 

 received eggs from the Berg River, where Mr. Kotze found them 

 in September, and also from Fairfield, in the Caledon district, from 

 Miss A. van der Byl. Dr. Stark found two nests in February on 

 a little island, chiefly tenanted by Duikers, just outside the Knysna 

 heads ; they contained young birds nearly full grown. The eggs 

 are usually three or four in number, and are, like other herons' 

 eggs, pale blue in colour, and nearly equally rounded at both ends ; 

 they measure about 2-25 x 1*75. 



Mr. Roberts, of Potchefstroom, tells me that he found a nest of 

 this bird in a tree on the banks of the Vaal River on September 5th ; 

 it contained two fresh eggs. The tree was the same as that in 

 which the Goliath's nest was found. 



587. Ardea melanocephala. Black-headed Heron. 



Ardea melanocephala, Viq. d Childr., in Denli. and Clapp. Voy. p. 



201 (1826); Gurney, in Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 284 (1872); 



Gates, Matabeleland, p. 326 (1881); Butler, Feilden, and Reid, 



Zool. 1882, p. 343 ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr., p. 709 (1884) ; 



Ayres, Ibis, 1886, p. 293 ; W. Ayres, Ibis, 1887, p. 62 ; Shelley, B. 



Afr. i, p. 157 (1896) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxvi, p. 70 (1898) ; 



Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 440 ; Eeichenow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 380 (1901) ; 



Oates, Cat. B. Eggs ii, p. 113 (1902); Sharpe, Ibis, 1904, p. 17 



[Deelfontein] ; Shortridge, Ibis, 1904, p. 205. 

 Ardea atricollis, Wagl., Syst. Av. Ardea, sp. 4 (1827) ; Smith, III. 



Zool. S. A. Aves, pi. 86 (1843) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1860, p. 220 [NatalJ ; 



Kirk, Ibis, 1864, p. 332 ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 306 (1867) : Barratt, 



Ibis, 1876, p. 193; Holub fr Pelzeln, Om. Slid- Afr. p. 271 (1882). 



Description. Adult male. Crown of the head, including the 

 ear-coverts, back of the neck, and, in the middle of its length, the 

 sides of the neck, black; nape feathers elongated and forming a 

 crest ; general colour of the body above blackish-slate ; paler on the 

 decomposed and elongated scapulars, and on the wing-coverts, 

 which are pearly-grey with white inner margins ; tail-feathers, wing- 

 quills and primary coverts black, the latter with some white on the 

 basal halves of the inner webs ; sides of the face below the eye and 

 ear-coverts, chin and throat white ; middle third of the neck black, 



