Cyprus on the vernal migration in 1875. The buff 

 plumes which ornament the adult birds of this species 

 are entirely lost in the autumnal moult; and I have 

 been frequently asked why we called a perfectly white 

 bird " Buff-backed " — the only possible answer being, 

 of course, " custom ; " but I think that " Cattle-Heron " 

 would be a much more appropriate name for this bird 

 than its commonly accepted English designation. 



The drawing for the Plate was taken from a fine 

 Spanish specimen now alive in the aviary at Lilford, and, 

 although the position of the feet and toes may strike 

 many of my readers as unnatural, I can personally vouch 

 for its strict accuracy. 



