22 BRITISH BIRDS. WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



a little above the level of which the bird places its nest. Where there are no 

 trees, it may be found situated on the ground. The Squacco lays four to six 

 greenish-blue eggs, averaging in size about i\ inch in length, by i in breadth. 



The food of the Squacco consists of fish, mice, frogs, and insects, its taste 

 being much the same as the other species of the genus, and it closely resembles 

 them in general habits, its mode of carrying the head and feet in flight, and its 

 gait on the ground. 



This species has been occasionally seen in captivity in the gardens of the 

 Zoological Society of London, but, as observed above, it is rather of a pugnacious 

 temperament. 



Family ARDEID&, 



THE AMERICAN GREEN HERON. 







Butorides virescens, L,INN. 



IT is extremely doubtful whether the American Green Heron should be honoured 

 with a place in the list of British Birds. Neither the Committee of the 

 British Ornithologist's Union, Mr. Seebohm, nor Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, has recog- 

 nized it as entitled to be included ; but it has been entered by that well-known 

 authority, Mr. Howard Saunders, in his list, so marked, however, as to indicate 

 that the history of its occurrences is not well authenticated ; or that after being 

 intentionally introduced, it may have possibly escaped from confinement. 



Under these circumstances we have given but a short notice of the bird, yet 

 sufficient, should it occur again within our shores, to enable it to be easily 

 identified. 



The fully adiilt bird, in breeding plumage, has the crown of the head, its 

 pendent crest, and the elongated narrow dorsal plumes, dark shining or bluish 

 green, often washed with bronze ; the wing-coverts are green, edged with tawny ; 



