KYCTICQKAX GUISE US
NYCTICORAX GRISEUS .
Niffht-Hero
Ardea nycticorax, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 235.
— grisea, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i. p. 239.
Nycticorax europcens, Steph. Conl. of Shaw's Gen. Zool., vol. xi. pt. ii. p. 609, pi. 47.
— nycticorax, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 560.
Gardeni, Bonap. Geog. and Comp List of Birds of Eur. and N. Am., p. 48
— ardeola, Temm. Man. d’Orn., tom. iv. p. 384.
— griseus, G. R. Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. iii. p. 558, Nycticorax, so. 1.
Nyctiardea europaa, Swains. Class, of Birds, vol. ii. p. 355.
A r d e a ( S c o tu w s ) nycticorax, Keys, et Bias. Wirbelth. Eur., p. 80.
Nyctirodmt nycticorax, Macgill. Man. of Nat. Hist., Orn., vol. ii. p. 127.
A b o u t six or seven species of the geuti* Nycticorax are now known, one or other of which inhabits nearly
every portion of the globe. Australia is frequented by Nycticorax caledonicus, Manilla by N . numiUensis.
Borneo by N . crassirostris, Chili and the Mulouine Islands by N . obsenrus, the West Indies and South
America by N . violacea, and North America by the last-named species and N . Gardeni; while the bird
here figured is distributed over Europe, the greater part of Africa, India, and China. In England the
Nycticorax griseus is only an accidental visitor, and does not breed with us, for the simple reason that
every individual which makes its. appearance is ruthlessly shot before it has time to await the coming of
a mate. On the continent o f Europe the bird is more common, and, being less persecuted, breeds
and rears its young- in many of the southern countries. Although I have stated that its appearance
in England is accidental, repeated instances of its occurrence have come under my notice ever since
I was a boy, when a specimen which had been killed in Windsor Gregt Park was sent to me in the
flesh. Lord Lilford has seen two o r three in a season on his estate at Oundle, in Northamptonshire; and
in May 1858 the late Earl of Craven presented me with a splendid male, whirl', ins keeper had «4wi *>n
the 6th of that month at his seat, Coornbe Abbey, tit Warwickshire. lit fetptoawi' it o f -.w
occurrence; and up to the year 1852 very few had been met with in Scotland.
In the daytime, the Night-Heron is a heavy, sleepy bird, and is usually seen perched cm »i a
tree skirting a forest, whence it sallies forth on the approach of evening, and jmwsc* tb* mght m the
marsh, by the river-side, or on the border o f a large pond, in search of frogs, newts, and o th e r aquatic
animals, not refusing insects and mollusks ou the one hand or the frv of fishes ami shrew-mice on
the other. The sexes are alike in colour and in the decoration o f the nape, when
lengthened white plumes which fall gracefully over the back. The young, on th
brown, spotted with white, a style o f plumage which constantly varies until the li
od o f at least tw
i has so greatly ii
this diver the
Both Lord lAtemd -.»wrf Mr. Howard I
one thicket Mr. Sa under* saw ncmu wot
Bailly, speaking o f the b ird u> if»way,
us arrive in April and May, and the h.r
the southern regions o f France, where ■
or willow standing in the water. The
Herons and Bitterns, these birds arriv
morning, generally one a t a time, bat ■>
heard their lugubrious croaking, which,
corax (o r Night-Raven); given to it bj
shrubs, or perches on the tallest tre e * ,:
it leaves its retreat, and seeks for food <
frightened, but shrinks, as it were, into
passed. It may be attracted by imitat'd
moaJt. Like the Bittern, it is danger©*
spring two o r three
contrary, are reddish
rer attains the adult
»ting and old Night-
much to be regretted,
¡inure, which requires
being employed,
ivnerous in spring and
there in colonies: in
is several o f
apon a stump
ue. Like the
-y early in the