furnished with a hlack crest attached to the bact of the head. This bird is very common through- 
out Europe in summer, and a few remain during the winter in Middle and Southern Europe ; the 
greater part, however, spend this season in the warmer parts of Africa and Asia. It frequents the 
lakes, rivers, and inland morasses during the breeding-time, and usually betakes itself to the estu- 
aries and sea-coasts in the winter. It is generally 
an indolent bii'd, commonly capturing its prey by 
standing in the water until some fish passes close 
enough to it to be seized by darting out the 
head. It also feeds upon frogs, newts, Crustacea, 
and insects, and occasionally upon small birds 
and quadrupeds. It always swallows its prey en- 
tire. It often feeds at night, as is also the case 
with many of the family. 
Other foreign species are the Purple Heron, 
A.purpurea, twenty-nine inches long ; slate-gray 
above ; dark maroon and slate-gray beneath ; 
found in the warmer parts of Europe, Asia, and 
Africa : the Great White Heron, A. alba, 
three feet long ; plumage white ; common in 
Southern Europe, and rare at the north ; found 
in parts of Asia : the Egret Heroic or Little 
Egret, A. garzetta, plumage white ; common in 
Southern Europe and in parts of Asia : th-e 
Buff-backed Heron, A. russata, two feet long ; 
plumage white, except the head and upper part 
of the neck, which are buff ; occasional in Eu- 
rope ; common in India : the Squacco HEROif, 
A. comata^ nineteen inches long ; reddish-brown, 
buff, and white above ; beneath white. 
The Great Blue Heron, A. herodias^ is four feet long; general color bluish-ash. "It 
THE PURPLE HERON. 
