88 BRITISH BIRDS 



with darker streaks. Sides of upper breast at base of neck 

 black. Scapulars black margined white. Upper wing-coverts 

 white margined black, making conspicuous white triangular 

 patches. Wing -coverts and secondaries mostly white, making 

 a broad white band on each side of the body when the 

 wings are closed, cut transversely by two black bars. Under- 

 breast and belly white tinted rosy. Flanks pencilled dark 

 grey or whitish. Beak and legs red. In " eclipse " (from 

 about July-October) the drake is not unlike the duel;, but 

 has the upper-parts darker and the wing-coverts /vhite. 

 The duck has the head, neck, and throat chestnut mixed teown. 

 The throat distinguishes her from the duck goosander, which 

 has it white. Upper-parts mostly dusky brown with paler 

 margins. Wings barred white. Under-parts whitish streaked 

 with brownish-grey on the breast. Crest shorter than drake's. 

 Legs and beak reddish. 



Nest. Usually near water, on islets in lakes, or lake shores. 

 Built on the ground in heather or other rough herbage, 

 under bushes or projecting rocks, in the hollow of a lank, 

 wall, or cliff ; also in rabbit-holes. Not in tree-hollows, so far 

 as known. Material : dead bracken, grass, or other material, 

 lined later with the duck's down. 



Eggs. Usually 7-12. Usually greyish-brown or olive-grey, 

 occasionally light greyish-buff. Av. size, 2 f 52 x 1 '78 in. Lay- 

 ing begins in May-June. One brood. 



IX. ORDER: CICONIIFORMES. (1) SUBORDER 

 ARDEJE 



Family : Ardeidce Herons and Bitterns 

 176. Common-heron [Ardea cinerea (Linnaeus)]. Residert 

 and generally distributed. Somewhat local. 



Bird. Length 36 in. Recognised by its size, the long 

 straight yellow beak, long legs, the 

 general grey and white plumage. In 

 flight the broad rounded slow flapping 

 wings and the neck curved back, so 

 that the head rests between the 

 shoulders, aid recognition. The male 

 has the upper-parts from the base of 

 the neck to the tip of the tail lightish 

 or French grey. The wing quills dark 

 Fig. 103 slate-blue. 



The head and neck are white with 



bluish-black elongated plumes behind the eyes, forming a 

 pendant crest, and bluish-black lines of spots down the front 



