ARDEA 571 



Differs but little from A. ibis, of which it is merely the eastern 

 form ; and in habits and nidification it does not differ from that 

 species. In India it breeds from June to August, nesting ^in 

 colonies in trees, and depositing 3 to 5 eggs, resembling those of 

 A. ibis and measuring about 171 by 1*32. 



797. SQUACCO HERON. 

 ARDEA RALLOIDES. 



Ardea ralloides, Scop., Ann. i. Hist. Nat. p. 88 (1769) ; Dresser, vi. 

 p. 251, pi. 400, fig. 2 ; (Sharpe), Cat. B. Br. Mus. xxvi. p. 202 ; 

 Saunders, p. 377 ; Lilford, vii. p. 25, pi. 9 ; A. comata, Pall. 

 Reise Russ. Reichs, ii. Anhang, p. 715 (1773) ; Naum., ix. p. 120, 

 Taf. 224; Gould, B. of E. iv. pi. 275; id., B. of Gt. Brit. iv. 

 pi. 25. 



Hdron Crdbier, French ; Papa-ratos, Portug. ; Garza cangrejera, 

 Span. ; Sgarza-tiufeto, Ital. ; Rallenreiher, Schopfreiher, German ; 

 Rareiger, Dutch ; Kosmataya-zapla, Russ. ; Sabisa, Arab. ; 

 Aishiis, Moor. 



ad. (Spain). Crown, nape, sides of the head and elongated nuchal 

 plumes creamy white margined with black : dorsal plumes elongated, 

 filamentous, coppery ochreous on the basal, and creamy buff on the terminal 

 portion ; wings, tail, chin, and upper throat white ; lower throat and breast 

 creamy yellow, the feathers elongated and filamentous ; rest of under parts 

 white ; bare space round the eye greenish ; bill pale lead at the base, 

 blackish towards the point ; iris rich yellow ; legs greenish yellow. 

 Culmen 2'62, wing 8 -6, tail 3'5, tarsus 2'5 inch. The female has the 

 nuchal plumes shorter, and is somewhat smaller. In the winter the 

 nuchal and dorsal plumes are much less developed. The young bird has 

 the nuchal feathers shorter and yellower, the dorsal feathers darker and 

 coppery brown, the wings marked with yellowish buff, the lower throat 

 striped with blackish, the bill greenish yellow, brown along the ridge ; iris 

 whitish yellow ; legs yellowish green. 



Hob. Southern Europe, east to the Caspian, straying rarely to 

 central and northern continental Europe and Great Britain ; 

 Africa south to the Transvaal. 



In its habits it somewhat reminds one of the Bitterns. It 

 affects damp swampy localities, but is said to be met with 

 in localities frequented by herds of domestic swine. Its 

 note is a harsh charr but not loud, and as a rule it is a 

 somewhat silent bird. It feeds on fish, frogs, aquatic insects, 

 worms, and small shell-fish. It breeds in marshy places, nest- 

 ing on the ground amongst the aquatic herbage or on bushes, 



