564 ARDEA 



ARDEA, Linn., 1766. 



788. GREY HERON. 



ARDEA CINEREA. 



Ardea cinerea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 236 (1766) ; Naum. ix. p. 24, Taf. 

 220 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 269, pi. Ixxiv. fig. 1 ; Gould, B. of E. iv. pi. 273 ; 

 id. B. of Gt. Brit, iv. pi. 20 ; Dresser, vi. p. 207, pi. 395 ; Sharpe. 

 Cat B. Br. Mus. xxvi. p. 74 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 980 ; Blanford, 

 F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 382 ; Saimders, p. 367 ; Lilford, vii. 

 p. 12, pi. 4. 



Heron huppt, French ; Garga real, Portug. ; Garza, Span. ; 

 Air one cenerino, Ital. ; Grauer-Reiher, German ; Blaauwe-Reiger, 

 Dutch ; Fiske-Hejre, Dan. ; Hegre, Norweg. ; Grd Hager, Swed. ; 

 Rarmaa-liaikara, Finn. ; Tschepura, Seraja-Zapla, Russ. ; Kuuk- 

 Kaja, Tartar ; Bou-auk, Arab. ; Aishoush, Moor. ; Nari, Anjan, 

 Hindu. ; Awo-sagi, Jap. 



(J ad. (England). Crown white ; sides of and hind-neck glossy black ; 

 nuchal feathers much elongated ; upper throat white ; neck ash-grey with 

 a faint vinous tinge and marked with two or three lines of blue-black 

 feathers ; on the lower neck a bunch of elongated, pointed white feathers 

 tinged with ash at the base ; upper parts and tail ashy blue, the scapulars 

 much elongated ; middle of breast and under tail-coverts white ; 

 sides of breast and a broad stripe on the sides of the abdomen black ; 

 flanks ashy grey ; primaries black ; bill, bare space round the eye, and 

 iris yellow ; legs dark greenish grey ; bare part of tibia and soles 

 yellowish. Culmen 4'8, wing 17*7, tail 7*5, tarsus 5 '5 inch. Female 

 smaller with the elongated feathers shorter. The young bird has the 

 elongated feathers much shorter or wanting, the bunch of long feathers on 

 the breast absent, and the under parts grey. The young in down is 

 covered with long, soft down, grey above and white below ; bill reddish 

 white ; iris white ; legs reddish grey. 



Hob. Europe generally, north to central Scandinavia, British 

 Islands ; Africa and Madagascar ; Asia, east to Japan, south to 

 the Malay islands and Australia ; has strayed as far north as 

 Iceland and Greenland. 



Frequents streams, lakes, and ponds, where it can obtain its 

 prey, which consists of fish, but it also captures water-rats, mice, 

 and aquatic insects. In its general habits it is shy and wary. 

 Its note is a deep harsh cry resembling the word Jcronk. It 

 breeds rather early in the season, nesting in societies or heronries, 

 occasionally on the ground, but more frequently on trees or 

 cliffs, constructing a somewhat bulky nest of sticks, lined with 



