134 BRITISH BIRDS. 



192. Ardea bubuleus, Audouin. BUFF-BACKED 



HERON. 



Hab. South-Western Europe and whole of Africa. 



An example in the Natural History Museum was killed 

 in Devon in 1805. A second is said to have been taken in 

 Devon in 1851 (Zool. 1851, p. 3116), while Stevenson 

 records one taken near Yarmouth in 1827, but neither of 

 these exist. 



193. Ardea ralloides, Scop. SQUACCO HERON. 

 Hab. Southern Europe and Africa. Migrating from 



Europe in winter. A straggler to North Europe. 



Adult : plumage above and on front of neck buff, head 

 and back of neck being marked with dusky striations ; 

 crest-feathers white in centre with blackish margins ; 

 under parts white ; bill bluish at base, black at tip ; iris 

 yellow; feet orange. Length about 1 8 'oo. Immature birds 

 have colours less pure and upper parts principally brown. 



Has occurred nearly forty times in England, twice in 

 Scotland, and about seven times in Ireland. 



GENUS GUI. NYCTICORAX, Stephens (/S/9). 

 Differs to no very great extent from Ardea. 



194. Nyetieorax griseus (Linn.). NIGHT-HERON. 



Hab. Southern Palasarctic region ; also Africa. 



Male : above glossy greenish -black, excepting back of 

 neck and wings which are slate-grey ; filamentous crest- 

 feathers white ; below greyish-white ; bill blackish above, 

 blue-grey below ; iris red ; tarsi yellow. Length about 

 2i'oo. Female: similar, but has lesS crest. Young: 

 chiefly dark brown with whitish spots and pale buff streaks. 



A tolerably regular visitor to southern coasts of England 

 where it occurs almost annually in spring and occasionally 



