Rarest vi- 
sitant. 
24 GRALLATORES. ARDEA, Heron. 
BUFF-BACKED HERON. 
Arpea russara, Wagler. ¥ 
PLATE V.* 
Ardea russata, Wagler, Syst. Av- part i. sp. 12. 
Ardea affinis, Horsf. in Linn. Trans. 13. 189. sp. 4. 
Ardea minor alia vertice croceo, Aldrov. 
Ardea zequinoctialis, var. B. Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 697. 
Ardea comata, var. B. Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 687. sp. 39. 
Le Crabier de la cote de Coromandel, Buff. Pl. Enl. 910. 
Ardea zequinoctialis, Steph. Shaw’s Zool. 11. 571. pl. 43, but not the syno- 
nyms. 
Little White Heron, Mont. Orn. Dict. Sup. but only a part of the syno- 
nyms. 
Tue confusion in which the history of this species has 
been involved, by the appropriation of synonyms to which 
it had no claim, has been removed by the fortunate discri- 
mination of Wac Ler, in the first part of his “ Systema 
Avium,” under genus Ardea, where those only are quoted 
which can strictly be referred to it. 'The geographical dis- 
tribution of this Heron embraces the three divisions of the 
ancient world, being found in the warmer parts of Europe, 
and also in Asia and Africa. In America it is not known, 
the Ardea equinoctialis, with which it has been confounded, 
being a species perfectly distinct, and confined to that conti- 
nent. In Britain, it is a rare visitant ; and the first instance 
of its capture is recorded by Montacu, in the 9th vol. of 
the Transactions of the Linnean Society, under the title of 
Ardea equinoctialis. He afterwards described it more fully 
in the Supplement to the Ornithological Dictionary, under 
the name of the “ Little White Heron.” 'This specimen, 
which was a female, and apparently in the plumage of the 
first year, was shot in October 1805, near to King’s-bridge, 
in the southern part of Devonshire, where it was seen for 
several days previous in the same field, amongst some cows, 
and picking up insects. Of its habits, I am unable to give 
any detailed account. 'The following is Monracv’s descrip- 
tion of this individual : 
