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THE NIGHT HERON. 

 (Nycticorax griseus.) 



THE Night Heron nests with large numbers of its con- 

 geners in inaccessible spots in the marshes where marshy 

 tracts and broom bush are close together. In such 

 places will be found on each tree as many nests as there 

 is room for. The nest itself is carelessly built of a few 

 branches laid one on another, with a final layer of dry 

 rush and sedge leaves. It contains four or five pale 

 green-blue eggs. 



It is not so secluded in its habits as the Bittern, and 

 is not so fond of the broad open ponds and reed beds, 

 but prefers the marshes, especially where there are slimy 

 puddles, alternating with broken rushes, bushes, and 

 trees. In such places it breeds, in great colonies, and 

 watches for its prey, which it obtains from ooze mud 

 fish and other small fishes, water-rats, lizards, and all 

 kinds of large insects. When flying, it draws in its- 

 legs and head, and so scarcely looks like a Heron, but 

 when it settles on a tree, as it often does, draws in its 

 neck and hunches itself up, it greatly resembles a Raven, 

 whence it is sometimes called* the " Nightraven." Also 

 from its voice, which is like the croak of the Raven, and 

 sounds like " Koa," " Koari," or " Koay." Wherever 

 the Night Heron settles it does much harm among the 

 fish. It is not numerous in Germany; in Hungary it is 

 still fairly common, but with the draining of the marshes 

 the number of these birds is likely to decrease. 



The Night Heron has been increasing in numbers in- 

 the British Islands during the last hundred years, so* 



