and the stomach contained a mere pellet o f monse-hair, which, from the dimensions o f the tail remaining in
the pellet, was believed to be that o f a short-tailed field-mouse.”
Durrng the progress o f the present work its pages have been frequently enriched by notices o f the occurrence
of some of our rarer birds, kindly transmitted by various friends; and the three following relative to the present
subject are now before me. Mr. E. H . Rodd, writing from Penzance, April 24th, 1867, says, “ I examined a
female Purple Heron yesterday which had been brought from the Lizard. I t was in the rufous or immature
state of plumage—that is, if such be the plumage of the female before the development o f the plumes
characteristic of the adult male. The proof o f its being a female was conclusive, the opening o f the ovary
displaying a series o f eggs from the size of swan- to that of dust-shot."' '
Mr. R. C. Musgraye, in a note dated Eden Hall, Penrith, November 21, 1870, says, “ the Purple Heron
in my father’s collection was shot near Alston, in Cumberland, about twenty years a g o a n d , lastly, Mr. J .
H. Gurney, jun., writes from North Repps, near Norwich, on the 6th o f March, 1872, “ a very fine young
Purple Heron was shot a t Horning (which is between Norwich and the sea-coast), about the 4 th o f December
bust, and was taken to a Norwich bird-stuffer, of whom I bought it. Two mice were found in its'stomach.
My father has au adult Sussex specimen.’’
The Purple Heron is, perhaps, nowhere more abundant than in Holland and in the adjoining province of
Brabant. There it is common, and breeds in many o f the great swamps near the embouchure of the Rhine
and other rivers o f those low countries ; it is also found to the northward of those countries, buf'm less and
less abnndange as we proceed in that direction; to the southward, on the contrary, its numbers do not
diminish y and it is found throughout the central and southern parte o f Europe, wherever localities suitable
for its maintenance occur. I t is tolerably abundant, and even breeds in Spain, as will be seen on reference
to Mr. Howard Saunders’s paper in ‘ The Ib is ’ for 1871, p. 390, where he states, “ This species is abundant,
breeding a few miles from Seville. I t was the only Heron we saw at the Albufera, of Valencia where we
found upwards of a dozen nests in a reed-bed on the 29th o f M ay -som e with young birds, and others with
eggs m various stages of incubation. The nests were most fiimsy structures, being little more than reeds
bent down and arranged crosswise, with a few separate pieces added. The complement o f eggs in no case
exceeded three. The following is a description of the nestling, made on the s p o t S k i n and feet yellowish
green, yellow on the abdomen; upper mandible greenish horn-colour, lower mandible yellow; iris pale straw-
yellow; feathers reddish brown; hairy c re s t; shafts o f feathers lead-blue; all edged with white down; claws
horn-white. Cry for food, ‘ kick, kick, kick,’ harsher when irritated.”
The occurrence o f the Purple Heron may probably also be looked for throughout the whole o f Africa from
north to south, but of course only in such situations as are favourable to its habits—that is, among the rank
vegetation of the Upper Nile and the banks o f the other rivers o f that as yet but partially explored country
In India it is common, as the following note by Jerdon, in his ‘Birds of In d ia ’ will testify “ The
Purple Heron,” says this author, “ is very abundant in the well-watered districts o f India, frequenting
marshes, reedy ground, rice-fields, and the like, but is rarely or never seen on the bare and open spote
frequented by the Common Heron. I t may often be observed with its head and long neck ju s t protruding
above the grass, looking remarkably like the head o f a snake, which has suggested its Telugu name o f Snake
Heron. I t rises with a loud harsh ciy, which it repeats as it flies along, especially if it has been alarmed
Unlike most o f the o ther Herons, this species breeds among the large reeds. I have seen several o f its breeding
places; but ,te nests were quite inaccessible. I t feeds on fish, frogs, &c. It is found throughout India and
Ceylon, extending into Burmah and Malayana.”
Mr. Swmhoe informs us that the Purple Heron is found in Central China, and states, on the authority of
I emminck, that it frequents the even more eastern country o f Japan.
There exists so little difference in the outward appearance of the sexes, that dissection must be resorted to
to distinguish the one from the other.
The Plate represents a fully adult bird in the breeding-plumage, about two-thirds o f the natural size.