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evening ; and I used always to consider their appearance in a body as a sign that it was time to 

 take up my post for shooting Ducks in a small marshy pool between the proper right of the 

 Butrinto river and the rocks which shut in the valley to the north. The Egrets almost inva- 

 riably flew over this pool from west to east, and generally preceded the arrival of the first flight 

 of Ducks by about ten minutes." 



In Southern Russia it is by no means uncommon. Mr. Goebel says that it breeds in the 

 marshes of Sokolow, in the Uman district, but in quite inaccessible places. In the autumn it is 

 found in pairs on the smaller ponds. In the summer of 1867 several were seen during the 

 summer: in 1868 the last was observed on the 2nd October, in 1869 the first on the 10th April, 

 and the last on the 27th September. It occurs in Asia Minor, where Mr. Danford observed it 

 on some small marshes to the north of the Ala-dagh ; and Canon Tristram found it common in 

 Palestine, but scattered and not very sociable. In North-east Africa, according to Captain 

 Shelley, it is abundant both in Egypt and Nubia, " and is a resident in those countries through- 

 out the year. It is usually to be met with singly by the edge of the water, and is equally partial 

 to both the liver and pools, feeding almost exclusively on fish. Early in April it begins to put 

 on its breeding-plumage." Von Heuglin says that it is very generally distributed in North-east 

 Africa ; and he believes that it must breed there, as he often saw it in full breeding-dress from 

 April to June. In autumn and winter he met with it singly and in large or small flocks along 

 the Nile, and in July and August on the shores of the Red Sea. Mr. Blanford found it common 

 on the coast of Abyssinia ; and he believes that he saw one in the highlands. Loche records it 

 as being a resident in Algeria, especially about the great lakes, and as far south as the Sebkhas. 

 Mr. Salvin met with it at Zana; and Canon Tristram found it (Ibis, 1860, p. 77) "universally 

 distributed in small numbers wherever a suitable locality exists, and frequenting familiarly the 

 gardens and ditches of the oases. It breeds in society on the lake Fetzara, and doubtless in 

 more southern marshes also." M. Favier says that it is not infrequent near Tangier, occurring 

 in small flights on passage. They pass north in April, returning in November and December ; 

 but some few remain there to breed. 



Mr. Godman saw specimens of this Egret in a collection at Terceira, Azores, said to have 

 been killed on that island ; and he adds that it is also found in the Canaries ; and, according to 

 Dr. Dohrn, it is resident and abundant in all the Cape-Verd Islands. On the continent of Africa 

 it is found down to the Cape of Good Hope. Mr. Andersson writes (B. of Damara Land, 

 p. 290): — "This is a scarce bird in Damara and Great Namaqua Land, and very local; but it is 

 pretty common on the rivers flowing into and out of Lake Ngami, and it also occurs on the 

 Orange River. It associates in small flocks, and feeds on fish, lizards, frogs, Crustacea, and 

 aquatic insects." According to Mr. E. L. Layard (B. of S. Afr. p. 308), " specimens of this 

 beautiful Egret, both in winter and nuptial dress, have been procured in the neighbourhood of 

 Cape-town, also at Colesberg and at the Knysna. The stomachs of this species and Ardea 

 egretta which I have examined contained multitudes of small aquatic shells (Physopis africana 

 and Succinea delalandi)." Mr. Barratt obtained it near Pretoria and Potchefstrooui both in 

 winter and summer; and Mr. Ayres records it as being much more numerous about the swamps 

 of the Transvaal than it is in Natal. 



According to Hartlaub the Little Egret of Madagascar, Ardea idee, Haiti. (Ardea elegans, 



