NIGHT HERON, OR QUA-BIRD. 399 



NIGHT HERON, OE QUA-BIRD. {Ardea nycticorax.) 



PLATE LXL— Fig. 2 ; Fig. 3, Young. 



Aret. Zool. No. 356.— Le Bichoreau, Buff. vii. 435, 439, rol. 22 ; PL enl. 758, 

 759, 999. — Lath. Syn. iii. p. 52, No. 13 ; p. 53, young, called there the 

 female.— Peak's Museum, No. 3728; young, No. 3729. 



NYCTICORAX GARDEN I I.* 



Ardea Dycticorax, Temm. Man. ii. p. 577. — Gardenian Heron, Mont. Orn. Diet. i. — 

 Ponap. Synop. p. 306. — Wayl. Syst. Av. Ardea, No. 31. 



This species, though common to both continents, and known 

 in Europe for many centuries, has been so erroneously de- 

 scribed by all the European naturalists whose works I have 

 examined, as to require more than common notice in this 

 place. For this purpose, an accurate figure of the male is 

 given, and also another of what has till now been universally 

 considered the female, with a detail of so much of their history 

 as I am personally acquainted with. 



* Nycticorax, or night raven, has been adopted to designate this from 

 among the Ardeadce, from the circumstance of their feeding by night, and 

 remaining in a state of comparative rest and inactivity during the day. 

 New Holland and Africa each possess a species. Europe and North 

 America have one in common to both countries ; in the former, abun- 

 dantly distributed, while, in the latter, it is of rare occurrence even 

 towards the south, and in the northern parts of Great Britain, only a 

 few instances have occurred of its capture. 



In form, they are intermediate between the bitterns and true herons ; 

 the bill is short, and stronger in proportion than in either ; the feathers 

 on the sides of the neck are lengthened, and cover the hinder part, which 

 is bare to a certain extent ; and in all the species, the hind head is 

 adorned with (generally three) narrow feathers, in the form of a crest. 

 They feed by twilight, or in clear nights ; and take their prey by 

 watching, in the manner of the herons. They are gregarious, build on 

 trees, and during the season of incubation are noisy and restless. 



The colours in the adults of the true species are ash grey or pale fawn ; 

 the crown and hind head and the back, or that part called by the French 

 manteau, in the ash grey species, dark glossy green ; in the fawn coloured, 

 deep chestnut. The young are always of a duskier tinge, and have the 

 centre and tips of each feather white, giving the plumage a spotted 

 appearance.— Er>. 



