PURPLE HERON. 



391 



species, by some called pulverisers, which is that of dusting themselves; 

 it is observable only in the gallinaceous tribe, the sky lark, wood lark, and 

 house sparrow. These are frequently seen in hot weather to roll them- 

 selves in the dust, and by means of their wings and legs throw it all 

 over their bodies. For what purpose it is intended, is difficult to ascer- 

 tain. Some have imagined it is to destroy the pediculi with which 

 these birds abound ; but as all other birds are troubled with lice, and 

 do not pulverise, the opinion does not seem to be well founded. Others 

 have supposed that it is to cool themselves, and that such birds do not 

 wash; but in this also they are mistaken, for no bird bathes more fre- 

 quently than the sparrow.* 



PURPLE HERON {Ardea purpurea, Linnaeus.) 



Ardea purpurea, Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 626. sp. 10. — Ardea Botaurus, lb. 1. p. 636. sp. 



50 Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 698. sp. 74. — Botaurus major, Briss. 5. p. 455 — 



Ardea rufa, Scopoli, Ann. 1. 119 — Crested Purple Heron, and Rufous Heron, 



Lath. Syn. 5. p. 95. 99 Greater Bittern, lb.5. 58. 18 Purple Heron, Temm. 



Man. d'Orn. 2. p. 570. 



YOUNG. 



Ardea purpurata, Gmel. Syst. 1. 541. sp. 63 Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 698. sp. 75. 



— Ardea variegata, Scopoli, p. 120. — Ardea caspica, Gmel. Syst. Reise, 2. p. 

 193. 24. — Lath. Ind. Orn. sp. 73 Ardea monticola, La Perouse, p. 44. — Pur- 

 ple Heron, Lath. Syn. 5. p. 96. — Mont. Orn. Diet. — African Heron, Mont. 

 Supp. to Orn. Diet. — Lath. Syn. Supp. 1. p. 237. 



This bird is smaller than the common heron ; length three feet. Bill 

 dusky -yellow, blackish at the point, seven inches long ; the head and 

 greater part of the neck are pale ferruginous ; chin and throat white ; 

 the feathers on the top of the head long, black, and forming a sort of 

 crest ; from the head a list of black runs down the back of the neck 

 for two-thirds its length ; from the eye on each side another list con- 

 tinues down to the breast ; on the lower part of the neck the feathers 

 are long, loose, and of a deep ash-colour ; the breast ferruginous chest- 

 nut ; back very deep ash-colour ; quills and tail black ; the lower fea- 

 thers on the rump like those on the fore part of the neck, but mixed 

 with ferruginous ; belly pale ferruginous ash-colour ; legs dull yellow ; 

 the fore part of them, the toes, and claws, black. 



Not more than two of this species are mentioned to have been met 

 with in this country, one of which is stated to have been shot in Ash- 

 down Park, near Lambourn, Berks, now in the Leverian Museum. 

 *It may therefore be considered as one of our rarest stragglers. Tem- 

 minck and Fleming consider the African Heron {Ardea Caspicce, 

 Linnaeus) as the young of this species. The bill and feet of that 

 variety are yellow ; the crest composed of black feathers, about three 

 inches long ; abroad black line passes from the nape of the neck to the 



