occurrence of this species in England was supplied by Mr. Arthur Strickland, in a communication made to
the Natural-History Section of the British Association, at its meeting at Newcastle in August 1838, as
published in the seventh volume of the Reports. Mr. Strickland stated that “ this bird had been unjustly
excluded from the catalogue of occasional visitors to this country by late authors, as he could prove
on unquestionable authority that it had been killed of late years in more cases than one. The first instance
was twelve o r thirteen years a g o : a bird o f this species was seen for some weeks about Hornsea Moor, in
the East Riding of Yorkshire; it was some time after presented to the author, in whose collection it
is a t present, in perfect preservation. Another, in full summer plumage, was killed by a labourer in the
fields of James Hall, Esq., o f Scarbro, near Beverley, about three years ago, and is now in the possession
of that gentleman. Another specimen of this bird is in the collection of Mr. Foljambe, o f Osberton, with
a label on the case stating it to have been killed near that place. A careful examination of these specimens
will, Mr. Strickland has no doubt, prove that this bird is properly separated from the Large Egret o f North
America, which has been frequently placed in our collections for the British species. To these I may add
a notice of one killed in Lincolnshire, but where the specimen is deposited I am not aware; and, lastly,
Mr. Frederick Holme sent me the measurements of a specimen shot on the Isis, in Oxfordshire, in
September 1833.”
Yarrell goes on to state that this beautiful species was included in the Swedish fauna by Linnmus and
Retzius, that it is an accidental visitor to Germany, France, Provence, Italy, Corsica, and Sardinia, and that
it is common among the islands o f the Grecian archipelago, Turkey, and Hungary. On the authority of
H. E. Strickland, it frequents the salt marshes west o f Smyrna; and Messrs. Dickson and Ross saw a few at
Erzeroum, from the beginning o f May till October. Mr. Stevenson, in his ‘ Birds o f Norfolk,’ doubts
whether the Great White Heron can be fairly included in the Norfolk lis t; still he states that Mr. Gurney
possesses a fine specimen, purchased by him of the late Mr. Thurtell when that gentleman’s birds were sold,
and, on the authority o f Mr. Joseph Clarke, o f Saffron Walden, th at Mr. Miller once found the wings o f a
Great White Heron near Yarmouth.
Having shown that the Great White Egret possesses numerous ju st claims to be enumerated amon°- our
accidental visitors, I give an additional note o r two by some friends who have seen this bird on the Continent,
which, together with quotations from the writings o f Jerdon and a few lines from my ‘ Birds o f Australia,’
will close my account o f this species.
“ In Sicily,” says Mr. Howard Saunders, “ especially around Catania and Syracuse, this fine species is by
no means uncommon. In Eastern Spain it is of occasional occurrence; but further west it becomes
extremely rare—so much so that only a single example came under my notice in the cotos de Donana, and
my men, who were well acquainted with the smaller species (H . egretta), were unable to give me any
information respecting it. At Perpignan, ju st within the French frontier, Dr. Companyo has frequently
obtained this species, and he assured me that it bred in the neighbouring marshes of Salces.”
In Messrs Elwes and Buckley’s “ List o f the Birds o f Turkey ” (Ibis, 1870, vol. vi. p. 333), these
gentlemen state that the H alba is “ very common in the marshes o f Macedonia, where we have seen as
many as fourteen together. The great size and snowy plumage of this Heron make it a very conspicuous
object among the tall reeds or when flapping slowly above them. We cannot say whether it breeds here-
but in Bulgaria, though not so numerous, it certainly does. An old male, which was shot in February, had
the long plumes o f the back, which fall off in summer, fully developed.”
Jerdon states (vide ‘ Birds of India,’ vol. iii. p. 744) :— “ T he Large Egret is distributed throughout
India to Ceylon, extending (if Gould’s Syrmatophorus be rightly identified with this species) from Europe
through most o f Asia and Africa to Australia. It is of course abundant in the best-watered d istricts; but is
found everywhere, feeding in rivers and tanks, and roosting on trees. It breeds in company on trees, often
m o r close to some village, making the usual nest o f sticks, and laying three or four eggs o f a bluish green
colour.”
Jerdon has remarked that Bonaparte created great confusion by separating the Egrets with yellow bills
from those with black ones, not being aware th at the colour o f that organ changes with the season.
During the period of nesting, the bill is more or less black ; at other periods it is bright yellow.
Mr. Swinhoe speaks of the Herodias alba inhabiting the neighbourhood o f Canton and other parts o f China
although he questions the identity o f the Chinese birds with those o f Europe and India.
During my sojourn in Australia, I not unfrequently came upon a solitary individual of the Great White
Egret, but in no instance did I obtain black-billed individuals.
The Plate represents both the summer and winter plumage, the figures being somewhat less than the
natural size.