332 
NIGHT HERON. 
NIGHT HAWK. — A name for the Nightjar. 
NIGHT HERON {Nycticorax Europceus^ Stephens.) 
* Ardea Nycticorax, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 235. 9. — Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 624. — Raii, 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, Vog. Neder, 2. t. p. 
151. — Naum. Vdg. Deut. t. 26. f. 35. — Frisch, lb. 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 Ib. Supp. p. 234. — Lewin’sBr. 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. Dict.^ — 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. 
