332 



NIGHT HERON. 



NIGHT HAWK.— A name for the Nightjar. 



NIGHT HERON {Nycticorax Europceus, Stephens.) 



* Ardea Nycticorax, Linn. Syst. I, p. 235. 9. — Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 624. — Rati, Syn. 

 p. 99. 3. — Will. p. 204. t. 49.— Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 6. 8. 13.— Briss. 5. p. 

 493. 45. t. 39.— Ib. 8vo. 2. p. 341.— Temm. Man. d'Orn. 2. p. 577.— Gerard. 

 2. p. 145.— Le Bihoreau, Buff. Ois. 7. p. 435. t. 12.— Der Nacht Rheigher, 

 Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. p. 54. — Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 2. p. 339. — Sgarza 

 Nittecora Stor degli ucell. 4. p. 422. — Blaautrekwak, Sepp, Vdg. Neder, 2. t. p. 



151 Naum. Vdg. Deut. t. 26. f. 35 Frisch, Ib. t. 203 — Night Heron, or 



Night Raven, Arct.Zool. 2. No. 356. — Will. (Angl.) p. 279. t. 49 — Albin, 2. 



t. 67.— Lath. Syn. 5. p. 52 Jb. Supp. p. 234.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 4. t. 145 — 



Wale. Syn. 2. t. 126 Wilson's Amer. Orn. 7. p. 101. 612. 



FEMALE. 



Ardea Grisea, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 239. 22.— Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 625.— Briss. 5. p. 412. 

 9. t. 36. f. 1.— Ib. 8vo. 2. p. 317.— Chestnut Heron, Lath. Syn. 5. p. 73. 



YOUNG. 



Ardea maculata, Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 645. sp. 80 Ardea gardeni, lb. 1. p. 645. sp. 



81. — Ardea badia, Ib. 1. p. 644. sp. 75 — Ardea grisea, Ib. 1. p. 625. sp. 9. B. 

 — Spotted, Gardenian, and Chestnut Heron, Lath. Syn. 5. p. 70. and 71. 31. 

 and 32. and 73. — Gardenian Heron, Mont. Orn. Diet — Wilson's Amer. Orn. 

 pi. 61. 3.* 



Provincial. — Lesser Ash-coloured Heron. 



The length of this species is twenty inches ; the bill is strong-, three 

 inches and three quarters long, black, with the base yellowish ; irides 

 orange ; lore, and round the eyes, green ; the crown of the head is 

 greenish black, extending a little way down the back of the neck; on 

 the back of the head are three very narrow white feathers near six 

 inches long, with their tips dusky ; the hind part of the neck and sides 

 are ash colour ; upper part of the back dull green ; the lower part, 

 rump, wings, and tail, pale ash colour ; the forehead and most of the 

 body white ; legs yellowish green ; claws dusky. 



The female is glossy brown on the head; the upper parts of the 

 body the same, but tinged with grey ; the hind part of the neck 

 palest ; the lower part of the back and rump almost grey; over the eye 

 is a whitish streak ; chin white ; fore part of the neck grey, streaked 

 with yellowish down the shaft of each feather ; the rest of the under 

 parts grey, becoming white at the vent ; the wings are greyish brown, 

 streaked with yellowish white; some of the greater coverts tipped with 

 white ; quill-feathers cinereous grey, mostly tipped with white ; tail 

 nearly the same ; legs greyish brown. A specimen shot near London, 

 in May, 1782, existed in the Leverian Museum; another, according to 

 Lord Upper Ossory, was shot on the Ouse, near Ampthill, in 1791. 

 Bewick mentions another, in the Wycliffe Museum, from which his 

 figure was taken. A young one was shot near Thame, in Oxfordshire, 

 by Lord Kirkwall. 



