152 ARDE1D.E. 



purpose of obtaining its food, where it generally finds 

 abundance. 



It has been stated before that the Squacco Heron is fond 

 of the company of large droves of swine that are kept in 

 Hungary ; and this may be accounted for, because the swine, 

 lying about certain swampy places during hot weather, 

 make holes in the soft soil, wherein fish of small di- 

 mensions remain lodged during the rise and fall of the 

 neighbouring waters, and to such places the Heron resorts and 

 obtains its finny prey with more ease, as the receding waters 

 have naturally left behind many a fish. The present species only 

 goes in search of food during the day-time, in which it differs 

 materially from the bitterns. It does not appear to hide 

 itself at any time from fear, but when the wind blows strong 

 it seeks for shelter, in order to preserve the silky ornamental 

 feathers of the head, neck, breast, and back, from damage. 



Many particulars of the history of the Squacco Heron re- 

 main still uninvestigated, in consequence of the want of due 

 encouragement to obtain the necessary particulars ; hence 

 their manners during the breeding-time, and the colour of 

 their eggs, remain unknown. 



In some parts of the continent of Europe they certainly 

 do breed, but the residents of those parts are either too 

 indifferent on the subject, or the stricter laws of those 

 countries prevent any individual from carrying a gun, or 

 trespassing on the limits where the reproduction of the species 

 takes place. It is to be hoped that we shall have this 

 matter at some time investigated, when we shall probably 

 learn that the nest is placed on the ground, or on the re- 

 mains of last year's flags, because the young birds of the 

 species that have been captured have been always found on 

 the ground. The most probable locality for the nest and 

 eggs is in Hungary, on some of the swampy islands of the 

 Danube. 



