
ay 
large turkey-cock. He has a movable beard hang- 
- ing down from the corners of his beak, which con- 
sists of two rows of pale grey feathers. The head 
and neck are light grey, the upper part of the body 
is rusty yellow with brownish black transverse bands, 

Egg of Great Bustard, 
and the belly is white. The tail, which is composed 
of twenty feathers, is mostly white, and can be spread 
out like a fan. The Great Bustard inhabits the plains 
of Central and Southern Europe, but is now extinct 
in England. 
Family II. Ardeide. 
(Plate XXV.) 
The Herons have a long hard pointed beak, 
which is sometimes spoon-shaped, or otherwise of 
unusual form; a long neck, long slender legs, and 
powerful wings. They feed on fish, amphibia, and 
reptiles, and generally make their nests on trees. 
In the genus Czconza the front of the head is 
flat, the long straight beak sharply pointed, the skin 
of the throat naked and extensile, and the legs very 
long, with short toes connected by a small web. 
The wings are large and broad, and the tail, which 
is composed of twelve feathers, is short and rounded. 
They make their nests either on high trees, or on 
houses. 
Fig. b. The Stork (Czconta alba) is white, 
with black wings, and red beak and legs. It builds 
its nest on church towers and other buildings, often 
in large towns. It is a favourite with country people, 
too, for it destroys large numbers of frogs, snakes, 
and mice. During flight, it stretches out its neck 
and legs horizontally. It is a migratory bird in 
Central Europe, which it quits for warmer climates 
in August, but returns to its old nest in March. 
Fig. c. The Black Stork (Czconza nigra) is 
brownish black with a metallic lustre; the breast, 
belly and thighs are white. The feet and beak are 
green in the young bird, and afterwards turn red. 
Contrary to the habit of the White Stork, it shuns 
the abodes of man, and lives in flat wooded districts 
near lakes and rivers, and makes its nest in large 
and thick forest trees. It is much scarcer in Europe 
than the White Stork. 
Fig. d. The Marabou Stork (Leptoptilus eru- 
menifer) of Africa, and the closely-allied Indian 
Adjutant (Z. dubius) are mach larger than the Eu- 
ropean Storks, and are remarkable for the nearly 
naked head and neck, only covered with a scanty 
down, and for the singular excrescence on the neck. 
The true Herons have a long compressed and 
pointed beak, the slender neck is generally clothed 
Birds. 
(Herons.) 

17 


with very short feathers; and there are twelve 
feathers in the tail. 
Fig. e. The Heron (Ardea cinerea) is ashy 
grey above and white below, and is ornamented with 
large tufts of 

feathers on the 
back of the 
head andunder 
the throat. He- 
rons frequent 
the banks of ; 
rivers and 
lakes, where 
they feed on 
fish. But they 
are ravenous 
birds, and will 
also. devour 
frogs, water- 
insects, field-mice, or any other small animals which 
chance to come in their way. The Herons generally 
make their nests in colonies on large trees. Such 
colonies are called heronries. The heron is very shy 
and wary. In flying it bends its head and neck’ over 
its back, and stretches out its legs horizontally. 
Fig. f. The Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) 
is dark ashy-grey, varied with rusty brown above, 
and pure rusty-red beneath; the top of the head is 
black. It inhabits Southern and South-Eastern Eu- 
rope from April to September. 
(Plate XXVI.) 
Fig. a. The Night Heron (Nycticorax europeus) 
has grey wings, a white neck and belly, and a black 
head and neck. The head is adorned with three 
long narrow feathers. It is a common bird in the 
warmer parts of the Northern Hemisphere, but be- 
comes scarce in Central Europe. It builds its nest 
in low trees and bushes. 
ise b.) he Wittle 
Bittern (Ardetta minuta) is 
a native of South-Eastern 
Europe. The full-grown 
male has the neck, throat, 
and wing-feathers of a bright 
rusty-yellow; the belly is 
yellowish white with brown 
streaks, and the head, back 
and tail are black. 
Fig. c. The Bittern (Botawrus stellaris)*is not 
rare in many parts of Europe, but hides itself in 
thick swamps, among reeds and rushes. It is not 
much bigger than a raven in reality, but its loose 
feathers make it look much larger. It is rusty-yellow 
with brownish black spots, the head is brownish 
black, and the throat white. The cry of the male 
sounds like the bellowing of an ox. 
In the Cranes the beak is of moderate length, 
and straight, somewhat like that of a common fowl ; 
the neck is slender, the legs strong and very long, 
and the small hind-toe placed high. The wings are 
large and broad, and the tail, which is composed of 
twelve feathers, is short and rounded. 
Fig. d. The Crane (Grus cinerea) is ashy grey, 
with a bare crescent-shaped red spot at the back of 
the head. The three hinder wing-feathers are sickle- 
shaped and flossy. It is rather larger than the stork. 
The Crane is found in the greater part of the Old 
World, except the extreme North, and is a summer 
visitor in Europe. It frequents both marshes and 
meadows. 

Egg of Heron, 

Egg of Little Bittern, 
