26 GRALLATORES. ARDEA. HERON. 



As several well authenticated instances of the capture of 

 this species of Heron have occurred in England, I have not 



Occasional the same hesitation in giving it a place in the list of British 

 Birds, as an occasional visitant, that I have expressed with 

 regard to the two preceding species. In addition to the spe- 

 cimen shot at Boy ton in 1797, of which a drawing was pre- 

 sented to the Linnean Society by Mr LAMBERT, as recorded 

 in the minutes of the 3d volume of their Transactions, an- 

 other was killed in Cambridgeshire about twelve years ago, 

 which, from a drawing sent to me, appears to have been a 

 fine adult bird, in perfect plumage ; and a third, a female 

 (of which I likewise obtained a correct drawing, of the na- 

 tural size), was shot in the summer of 1825, near Bridge- 

 water in Somersetshire *. The short neck of this species (as 

 well as of Ardea Agami, Ardea spetiosa, &c.) clothed with 

 lax and longer feathers than the more typical Herons, and 

 the decreasing length of the tarsus, indicate an approach to 

 the succeeding group of Bitterns, which, in accordance with 

 the views of the first ornithologists of the day, I consider en- 

 titled to a generic distinction. The economy of this species 

 is similar to that of the other members of the family, inha- 

 biting marshes, and the margins of seas, lakes, and rivers, 

 and subsisting on small fish, reptiles, crustaceous animals, 



Food. and insects. It is found in all the three divisions of the old 

 world. In Europe, its distribution extends to most of the 

 southern districts, but in the northern it is very rare or quite 

 unknown. Upon the confines of Asia it is abundant, and 

 (according to the report of travellers) equally so in Egypt, 



Nest. Nubia, and other parts of Africa. It builds in trees ; but 

 the number, size, and colour of its eggs, are yet unknown. 



General PLATE VI. Represents a mature bird, of the natural size. 

 tion. riP ~ ^ ne f renea d 5 crown, and occiput, are of a sienna-yellow 



* Since writing the above, I have been informed that two of these birds 

 were killed near to Yarmouth, in the month of May 1831. 



