28 



the only one recorded from the Outer Hebrides. (Eagle 

 Clarke, Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist.) 



In Ireland, Mr. Ussher states that over twenty occur- 

 rences have taken place since 1834. Of these, seven came 

 from Cork, a noted county for rare Herons, three from 

 Dublin, two from Down, and one each from the following 

 counties: Kilkenny, Queen's County, King's County, Louth, 

 Monaghan, Mayo, Armagh, and Donegal. (' Birds of 

 Ireland,' p. 164.) The first British specimen on record 

 was procured near London in May, 1782 (Saunders, Man. 

 Brit. Birds, 1899, p. 379) ; among recent captures may 

 be mentioned, specimens taken in co. Cork, May 31st, 

 1899; in co. Wexford, April 21st, 1899; in co. Meath, May 

 10th, 1900 (Ussher) ; in Norfolk, November 8th, 1899, 

 (J. H. Gurney), and a specimen taken in Sussex, Sep- 

 tember 24th, 1904 (J. B. Nicholls). 



Voice. During the greater part of the day the Night- 

 Heron skulks silently through dense and tall vegetation, 

 such as flags, reeds and bulrushes ; after dusk it becomes 

 more lively, when its plaintive note qua-d, qua-d, may be 

 heard. 



Food. The diet is of a very mixed character ; fish, 

 frogs, snails, worms, shrimps and water-beetles, are eaten. 



Nest. The Night-Heron breeds in colonies, selecting 

 trees and bushes growing in marshy situations. It also 

 builds on the ground, erecting a platform of bent reeds 

 above the level of the water. The nest, for the most part, 

 is made of broken sticks. The eggs, three to five in number, 

 are pale greenish-blue, with both ends somewhat pointed. 

 Incubation begins about May. 



From the numbers of adult birds of both sexes which 

 visit the British Isles in full nuptial plumage annually dur- 

 ing the breeding-season, we may infer that this Heron 

 might breed in suitable localities, were it not shot down 

 ruthlessly. It should be borne in mind that several speci- 

 mens have been procured, that the bird is quite common 

 in many other countries, so that if there is a likelihood of 

 its breeding with us, why not give it every encouragement 

 to do so? 



Geographical distribution. The Night Heron is very 

 widely distributed. It nests plentifully in Southern and 

 South-Eastern Europe, in Asia, in Africa, and in North 

 and South America. On migration it has wandered beyond 

 our Isles to the Faroes, Denmark and Sweden. 



