202 



AEDEID.E. 



tail dark slate-grey ; plumes on back pale chestnut ; under wing-coverts 

 chestnut ; thighs rufous buff ; breast rich maroon-red. 



Young. General colour above rusty red ; below brownish white. Length 

 30-32 inches. 



216. Ardea alba, Linnaeus. The Great White Heron. 



We saw one at the lakes of Ras el Doura, on the 26th of 

 April, but were unable to shoot it. I know the bird well, having 

 shot them both in the Crimea and in India. Mr. James J. 

 Walker, R.N., in 'Transactions of Entomological Society,' 1890, 

 P. 364, mentions having seen this Heron at Esmir once or twice. 



On the Spanish side I never saw one, or beard of a specimen 

 being obtained ; but Verner saw one at Laguna de la Janda, 

 May 18, 1875, and Mr. L. P. Irby, 60th Rifles, saw another 

 there in February, 1894 ; whilst they are reported by Arevalo to 

 occasionally occur in winter at the Albufera, which is, however, 

 rather beyond the district of " the Straits." 



.. Entirely white ; bill and iris yellow -; legs and feet black. 



Jn summer. Has bill black and many very long filamented plumes on 

 back. Length 36-42 inches. 



217. Ardea garzetta, Linnaeus. The Little Egret. 



Moorish. Bou-fala, Bou-bliga, Bou-biiira (Favier). Spanish. 

 Garza blanca. 



"This bird is not uncommon near Tangier in small flights 

 when on migration. They pass north in April, returning during 

 November and December ; but some remain to breed in the 

 country. " Fa vier. 



The Little Egret is the least common of the small Herons 

 in Andalucia, and, as Favier observes, some remain very late, 

 as I have seen and obtained them on the 17th of November. 

 The greater number arrive about the middle of April, first date 

 observed 13th April, 1894, at Laguna de la Janda, and linger 

 here and there on their route, gradually passing on to their 

 breeding-places on the borders of the marisma and elsewhere. 



