THE SQUACCO HERON. 83 



in each failed, and it was only through some of my friends 

 that I obtained clutches. While the birds hovered round 

 their nests, they kept up a continuous clamour, and the general 

 noise was deafening. While we were having lunch half an 

 hour later I left my Night-Herons in the shade to be prepared 

 later on, and was not best pleased to find that our host's 

 keepers had amused themselves by plucking out the white 

 breeding-plumes and sticking them in their hats. It was 

 therefore with great difficulty that I ultimately secured some 

 perfect specimens. 



Nest. This is a curious cradle-like structure of sticks, placed 

 in the fork of a tree between three thin branches, and it is of 

 so slight a structure that it is wonderful how the eggs can be 

 retained in it. Such were all the nests in the colony we raided 

 in Hungary, and no nests on reeds were discovered, though it 

 is said that the Night-Heron occasionally makes such a nest. 



Eggs. Three to five in number, of a pale greenish-blue. 

 Axis, i -6-2- 1 inches; diam., 1-25-1-5. 



THE SQUACCO HERONS. GENUS ARDEOLA. 



Ardeota, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 559. 



Type, A. ralloides (Scop.). 



The Squacco Herons form a small group of four, or pos- 

 sibly five, species, confined to the Old World. Although 

 approaching the Little Bitterns in size and general appear- 

 ance, the Squaccos really belong to the group of True Herons. 

 They have twelve tail-feathers, and the bill shows distinct 

 serrations near the end of the upper mandible; the culmen is 

 equal in length to the middle toe and claw. There is a well- 

 developed dorsal train, and on the nape are some long orna- 

 mental plumes, depending over the neck. 



I. THE SQUACCO HERON. ARDEOLA RALLOIDES. 



Ardea ralloides^ Scop. Ann. I. Hist. Nat. p. 88 (1769); 

 Dresser, B. Eur. vi. p. 251, pi. 400, fig. 2 (1879); 

 B. O. U. List Br. B. p. 109 (1883) ; Saunders, ed. Yarr. 

 Br. B. iv. p. 191 (1884) ; id. Man. Br. B. p. 365 (1889) ; 

 Lilford, Col. Fig. Br. B. part xxiv. (1893). 



G 2 



