NYCTICORAX GRISEUS. 
1167 
south of France, though it occurs only on passage in the north. To the British Islands it is a rare straggler, 
having occurred chiefly in the southern and eastern counties as far north as Northumberland and Durham, 
while in Scotland it has been met with as far north as Aberdeen. It has been shot in Anglesea and Flintshire, 
and has been met with occasionally in Ireland, once in the county of Donegal. It has also occurred in the 
Faroes and in Sweden, but not in Norway ; in Denmark it is very rare. In Central Russia it is also scarce, 
but common in the south and even on the Lower Volga. Turning now towards Spain and thence to Africa, 
we find it common in the southern portion of the first-named, breeding in the marshes of the Cotos, and 
passing north through Andalucia in April. It appears to pass by Portugal in its migration, as it is not common 
in that country. In Morocco it is chiefly seen on passage, being common there near Tangier. Canon Tristram 
met with it in Algeria and Tunis, and in Egypt it is abundant. In January, February, and March, Yon 
Heuglin met with it on the Blue and White Nile, and at the Tana Lake in Abyssinia, where he also saw it 
on the liver Reb in May. It extends to South Africa, having been obtained in the Zambesi country, in the 
Transvaal, and in Natal, and is generally found throughout Cape Colony. In Damara Land it is rare, according 
to Mr. Anders son ; but in the lake-country it is pretty common, occurring in Ondonga in the wet season, and 
also on the Orange river. Further north it has been obtained in Benguela and Gaboon, on the Gold Coast, in 
Fantee, Senegambia, and Bissao. Vernon Harcourt records it from Madeira; but it does not appear to have 
been met with there of late years. 
On the continent of America it has a wide easterly range, extending from New Brunswick through the 
States to Texas and Central America, in the former of which Mr. Dresser found it common. In South America 
it ranges, according to Von Frantzius, from Guiana to the Argentine Provinces, being rare in Costa Rica. 
It is likewise found in some of the islands in the West Indies, being resident in Cuba. 
Habits. This curious bird is almost entirely nocturnal in its habits ; but 1 believe it feeds chiefly at dusk 
and in the early morning. It is seldom seen about in the daytime ; but occasionally it happens, for some reason 
or other, that it makes diurnal excursions. Mr. Ball writes, “ On a very hot day in April, when in the district 
of Singbhum, I saw a large number of them in the bed of a river standing by the water’s edge, and perched about 
on neighbouring bushes.” My own experience in Ceylon is that when aroused by the report of a gun, a whole 
flock will dash out of the umbrageous trees in which they have been hiding, and circle round and round in the 
air, some turning right away and taking a long flight across country. It frequents secluded portions of 
lakes and tanks, where there are reed-beds surrounded by bushy trees, in which it roosts by day, as many 
as thirty or forty sometimes occupying the same tree. In the forest-districts it resorts to village tanks 
surrounded by thick jungle growing close to the water’s edge ; and when a colony has taken up its abode in any 
place, its members dwell permanently there, breeding close at hand, or perhaps on the very spot. At sunset 
they sally out, flying with slow noiseless owl-like flaps, and frequently uttering their quick hoarse quak at 
intervals of some little duration ; and this call is often heard as night closes in, when the bird cannot be seen. 
When perched, the Night-Heron draws the neck in, the bill projecting from close to the shoulders, and the 
body upright, imparting an ungainly appearance to the bird ; if disturbed, it makes its way quickly through 
the tree, adroitly climbing from branch to branch, and flying off quietly on the other side. Mr. Dresser has 
noticed it climbing about reeds and rush-beds in Texas, “ grasping the stems of the water-plants with its long- 
claws.” It has the power of balancing itself in a wonderful manner when walking along a small branch; and 
Mr. Gurney speaks (Ibis, 1868, p. 257) of one, which was confined in the Zoological Gardens, “walking- 
leisurely along the slender upper bar of an iron railing, some three yards in length, preserving his balance 
most perfectly, keeping his body nearly parallel to the horizontal iron bar, and not in any way resorting to 
the aid of his wings.” A fine living example was brought to me at Galle in 1873, and I placed it in a large 
bamboo aviary, in which were confined a Crested Eagle and a Wood-Owl, both referred to in the early part of 
this work. On being first placed in the aviary, it slunk into the corner, and did not become aware of the 
presence of the Raptorial birds ; about an hour afterwards it discovered them, and displayed the most curious 
movements of surprise and curiosity. Its head moved at slight intervals from side to side, but with an 
instantaneous jerk, and shot out every now and then with the same movement, the feathers of the back, neck, and 
occiput being at the same time erected and the eyes fixed on the two birds, one of which (the Owl) manifested 
the most intense surprise at the extraordinary creature beneath him, while the Eagle stood on one leg, with 
