8o LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 



bushes in large swamps or marshes. Many pairs nest in close 

 proximity, and very often in association with other tree-loving 

 waders, such as the Night-Heron, Buff-backed Egret, Spoon- 

 bill, and Glossy Ibis. The uproar made by a breeding-colony 

 of these birds, when disturbed and floating in the air over their 

 nurseries, must be heard to be believed. 



Eggs. From three to six in number, of a greenish-blu/ 

 colour. Axis, i'65-i'Q inch ; i'2-i'35. 



THE NIGHT-HERONS. GENUS NYCTICORAX. 



Nycticorax^ Rafin. Analyse, p. 71 (1815). 



Type, N. nycticorax (L.). 



The Night-Herons and their allied genera have twelve tail- 

 feathers, but the tibia is not so bare as in the True Herons, 

 the naked portion of the tibio-tarsus being less than the length 

 of the inner toe. The bill is stout and of moderate length, 

 without any serrations in either mandible, but showing a dis- 

 tinct notch just before the tip of the upper one ; the culmen is 

 about equal to the tarsus in length, and the tarsus is of about 

 the same length as the middle toe and claw. There are gener- 

 ally two, sometimes three, drooping ornamental plumes on the 

 nape. 



The Night-Herons are found nearly all over the world, but 

 do not range far to the northward, where the climate is un- 

 suited to their habits. Ten species are known, of which the 

 Common Night-Heron is the most widely distiibuted. 



I. THE COMMON NIGHT-HERON. NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX. 



Ardea nycticorax^ Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 235 (1766). 

 Nycticorax gar deni, Macg. Br. B. iv. p. 433 (1852). 

 Nycticorax griseus. Dresser, B. Eur. iv. p. 269, pi. 402 (1879) ; 



B. O. U. List Br. B. p. no (1883); Saunders, ed. Yarr. 



Br. B. iv. p. 195 (1884); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. part 



vii. (1888) ; Saunders, Man. Br. B. p. 367 (1889). 

 Nycticorax nycticorax^ Seeb. Br. B. iv. p. 496 (1884) ; Sharpe, 



Cat. B. Brit- Mus. xxvi. p. 146. 



