56 BRITISH BIRDS. 



ash-grey; throat white; fore part of the neck, 

 breast, and belly, yellowish white or buff; the back 

 black; legs, greenish yellow. 



The Night Heron frequents the sea-shores, rivers, 

 and inland marshes, and lives upon insects, slugs, 

 reptiles, and fish. It remains concealed during the 

 day, and does not roam abroad until the approach 

 of night, when it is heard and known by its rough, 

 harsh, and disagreeable cry, which is, by some, 

 compared to the noise made by a person straining 

 to vomit. They build on trees, and on rocky cliffs. 

 The female lays three or four blue eggs. 



This species is not numerous, although widely 

 dispersed over Europe, Asia, and America. 



The above figure was taken from a stuffed speci- 

 men in the Wycliffe Museum, and is the only one 

 the author has seen. The bird is, indeed, very un- 

 common in this country. Latham mentions one in 

 the Leverian Museum, which was shot not many 

 miles from London, in May, 1782. 



