234 



In Southern Germany it only becomes numerous in the extreme south-eastern districts. 

 Dr. Fritsch says (J. f. O. 1871, p. 391) that it is extremely rare in Bohemia, where it usually 

 appears in spring, apparently from Hungary. One was obtained near Frauenberg on the 20th 

 April 1831, one near Sichelsdorf on the 3rd of April 1849; and it has occurred at Weisswasser, 

 Podebrad, Wittingau, and the Bestrever lakes near Frauenberg. In Transylvania, Messrs. 

 Danford and Harvie-Brown write (Ibis, 1875, p. 424), it is " only found during migration, there 

 being no record of its having bred in the country. We heard from Herr Buda that there were 

 many in the Hatzeg district this year after we left. The specimen in the Klausenburg Museum 

 was shot at Apahida in November 1867, as recorded by Herr Otto." It breeds in many of the 

 larger marshes of Hungary, and the countries skirting the Danube, this portion of Europe 

 being its head quarters; and Messrs. Elwes and Buckley remark (Ibis, 1870, p. 333), it is "very 

 common in the marshes of Macedonia, where we have seen as many as fourteen together. The 

 great size and snowy plumage of this White Heron make it a very conspicuous object among the 

 tall reeds, or when flapping slowly along above them. We cannot say whether it breeds here ; 

 but in Bulgaria, though not so numerous as in Macedonia, it certainly does." According to 

 Dr. Kriiper it is only sparingly found in Greece, not breeding there, being, as a rule, only 

 a winter visitant ; and Lord Lilford writes of it (Ibis, 1860, p. 346) : — " Common in Epirus in 

 winter, particularly at Butrinto. Not nearly so difficult of approach as most of its congeners, 

 although I never observed it to skulk amongst the reeds and aquatic herbage, as Ardea cinerea 

 often does. I could not find out that it ever remains to breed in Epirus ; but the natives are 

 so singularly unobservant of all birds, except the Anatidse, that it is difficult to extract any 

 information from them." 



In Asia Minor it is said by Dr. Kriiper to be commoner than in Greece ; but Canon Tristram 

 remarks that in Palestine he found it scarcer than Ardea garzetta, and very wary. It is, he adds, 

 a spring and summer visitant to that country. It is widely distributed in Africa ; and there, as in 

 Asia, is a smaller form differing from the European bird in nothing but size, in which it agrees 

 with Chinese examples. In North Africa, however, the large form is found ; but where the two 

 meet I am unable to decide. Captain Shelley writes (B. of Egypt, p. 267), " The Great White 

 Heron is plentiful in Lower Egypt and the Fayoom. On lake Mareotis I have frequently 

 observed very large flocks of this species wading in the shallows at a considerable distance from 

 the land; and on Birket el Korn, in the Fayoom, I have seen single specimens on several 

 occasions ; but, as it is a very shy bird, I was never able to approach within shot. I have also 

 seen it in the collections of other travellers from Egypt." Von Heuglin believes that it breeds 

 in the Nile delta. He observed it in April and May on the Tana lake and in Wadla; and 

 Lefebvre met with it late in the latter month at Adowa, in Abyssinia. In the winter months it 

 is common on Lake Menzaleh and throughout the Blue- and White-Nile districts, being even 

 more numerous in Abyssinia, where it occurs to an altitude of 9000-10,000 feet. It is said to 

 be tolerably common in Algeria, but, Loche says, is more frequently seen about the lakes of the 

 province of Constantine than about those of Oran. Canon Tristram writes (Ibis, 1860, p. 77) : — 

 " Three or four of these magnificent Herons used to resort to the salt lake of Waregla. Again I 

 met with them at Dzouia, Temacin, Tamerna, and Tuggurt, but always in small flocks, and very 

 shy. Never found, like their congeners, in the ditches or under palm trees, but in the wide, open 



