548 HARE BRITISH BIRDS 



governments of Kief, Ekaterinoslav, and Kharkof, on the Volga to 48^ N., the lower Ural, and 

 possibly in the S. Perm government (Buturlin). In Asia it breeds in Asia Minor, Syria, 

 Mesopotamia, Turkestan, and in West Siberia to at least 47 N., but the birds from India, 

 through East Asia and the Malay Archipelago to Australia, appear to belong to an allied race, 

 and this is also apparently the case with the forms which breed in Tropical Africa and America. 

 European birds are migratory, and probably winter in Africa. As a casual visitor it has been 

 recorded from the Baltic Provinces, Poland, Sweden, N. Germany, Holland, N. France, at least 

 seven times in Great Britain (five England, two Scotland), commonly in Spain, also in 

 Corsica, Italy, Malta, and on the Azores, and in Africa has been met with south to Cape 

 Colony. [F. c. K. J.] 



LITTLE-EGRET [Egretta garzetta (Linnreus) ; Ardea garzetta Linnreus. French, aigrette 

 garzette ; German, Ideiner Silberreiher ; Italian, sgarzetta}. 



1. Description. Distinguished from the great white-heron by its smaller size [wing 10.1 

 in., 279 mm.], and by having the beak longer than the middle toe and claw. The sexes 

 are alike in coloration. The adult in breeding plumage is pure white all over, with two long 

 plumes about 5 in. in length [127 mm.] on the nape; a dense train of decomposed feathers 

 on the back, reaching to but not much beyond the tail, and a similar patch on the chest about 

 4 in. long [102 mm.] ; iris pale ashy yellow, with an outer ring of brownish red ; beak black ; 

 bare skin round the eye and base of bill whitish fulvescent ; tarsi black ; feet greenish yellow ; 

 joints of toes spotted with black on the upper surface. The adult in winter is similar to the 

 above, but all the ornamental plumes are wanting, [w. p. p. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. Breeds in the Mediterranean region, Africa, and Southern and Central 

 Asia. In Europe there are colonies in S. Spain, Portugal, and a few breed in Italy, Sardinia, 

 anjl Sicily ; formerly it nested in S. France and Greece, and still does so in Dalinatia, Croatia, 

 Herzegovina, Slavonia, and the lower Danube valley, but no longer in Hungary. Not 

 uncommon in Turkey, and in Russia breeds in Bessarabia, the lower Dniester and Dnieper, the 

 Ekaterinoslav and perhaps Kief governments, the Volga delta and lower Urals, as well as 

 Caucasia. In Asia it breeds from Asia Minor, Palestine, and Transcaspia east to China and 

 Japan and south to Mesopotamia, Ind^a, and Ceylon, while it is replaced by an allied race in the 

 Malay Archipelago and from the Moluccas to Australia. In Africa it is common from Marocco 

 to Egypt, and also breeds in the Cape Verde Isles, and is resident in S. Africa, breeding in Cape 

 Colony. It has occurred at least once (Devon, 1870) and probably several times in England, 

 and has visited the Azores and Canaries, N. France, Holland, N. Germany, and the Russian 

 Baltic Provinces. [F. c. R. J.] 



BUFFBACKED-HERON [Ardeola ibis (Linmeus) ; Ardea bubiilcus Audouin. French, heron 

 garde-bcewf ; German, KuhreiJier ; Italian, airone yuarda-buoi]. 



1. Description. Distinguished by the vinous buff of the dorsal train, the ornamental 

 plumes on the chest, and the long crest on the head. Total length about 18 in. [457 mm.]. 

 The adult male in the breeding season has the whole plumage of the body white, excepting the 

 top of the head, and the ornamental plumes, which are vinous buff in colour ; iris pale chrome, 

 darker towards the outer edge ; eyelids also pale chrome ; bill chrome, paler towards the gape ; 

 tarsi and feet dusky. The adult female in breeding plumage resembles the male, but the 

 ornamental plumes are not so fully developed ; bill and skin round the eye bright chrome- 

 yellow ; legs and feet pale yellow. The adult male and female in the winter are white all 

 over, and lack the ornamental plumes of the head, back, and chest, [w. p. p. and T. w.] 



2. Distribution. The only known breeding-places of this species in Europe are in the 

 Marismas of the Guadalquivir in S. Spain, and in Russia in the Aresh district, the Elisabetopol 

 government, and East Transcaucasia (Buturlin). A few pairs may possibly also breed in Sicily. 



