378 SQUACCO HERON. 
Southern Europe, from spring to autumn. In Spain it arrives in 
April, though in the valley of the Danube it does not do so 
before the middle of May. From the Canaries we find it 
numerous and resident in North Africa—including Egypt, and it 
inhabits that vast continent as far south as Namaqua Land, the 
Transvaal and Natal ; while the late Sir Edward Newton obtained 
it in Madagascar. Persia appears to be its eastern limit in Asia. 
The Squacco Heron breeds in colonies, in company with other 
members of the family; building a slight nest of sticks, on bushes 
or trees in flooded marshes. Mr. W. E. Clarke in Slavonia, and 
Messrs. Seebohm and Young on the Lower Danube, found eggs by 
May 26th; in Andalucia, however, Mr. R. B. Lodge found nests with 
their full complement by May 8th in 1897. The 4-6 eggs are 
greenish-blue—smaller and darker than those of the Buff-backed 
Heron: measurements 1°5 by 1'1 in. In its breeding-haunts this 
species is very pugnacious towards its congeners. The food consists 
largely of water-beetles and other insects, small crabs, molluscs, frogs, 
minute fish, and occasionally small mammals : an entire shrew having 
been found in the crop of one examined by the late Mr. Rodd. In 
its habits this bird is somewhat inactive, passing the greater portion 
of the day in one position, the head being drawn in between the 
shoulders like that of a Bittern; and in Spain Col. Irby noticed 
that it did not frequent the grazing-grounds after the manner of the 
Buff-backed Heron. It is usually very silent, but occasionally 
utters a harsh varr. In dry seasons the nuptial dress is sometimes 
not assumed until late in the spring, and in Andalucia in 1868 (a 
very dry season) I found that even on May 21st some birds were 
still rather bare on the neck. 
The adult in breeding-plumage has the head and hind neck pale 
buff, streaked with dark lines; the occiput furnished with eight or 
nine long lanceolate plumes, which are pure white in the centre 
and margined with black ; sides and front of the neck warm buff ; 
back more vinaceous; dorsal plumes elongated and filamentous ; 
wing-coverts pale buff ; rest of plumage white ; bill cobalt-blue at the 
base, black at the point ; lores naked and green ; irides yellow; legs 
yellowish-pink ; soles yellow. Length 20 in.; wing 9 in. In the 
immature plumage—most frequently seen in this country—the streaks 
on the neck are longer and broader, and the ground-colour is mixed 
with ashy-brown ; the back, and the ends of the inner secondaries 
are wood-brown ; and the younger the specimen the darker are the 
feathers along the middle of the back. 
