By far the most interesting account of the bird and its habits is from the pen o f Mr. Swinhoe;
and I take the liberty o f transcribing it from the pages of ‘ T he Ibis ’ for 1861 and 1863, where
he says:—“ This is the sacred bird o f the great Honam Temple, Canton, in the courtyard in front
of which are some venerable banyans and a few towering cotton-trees (Bombax malabaricum) . On the
higher branches of the former the small flat wicker nests o f the Night-Heron may be seen in all directions,
some only a foot or so from oth ers; and the croaking and flapping and fighting that goes on overhead bears
some distant resemblance to the crowded deck o f an emigrant steamer on first encountering a turbid sea.
The granite slabs that form the pavement beneath these trees are so bedaubed with the droppings o f old and
young, that permission to scrape them clean daily might prove a fine speculation for the guano-collector.
The birds, from the protection afforded them, are remarkably tame, and we could stand beneath the trees
and watch them without their evincing the slightest fear. This was in April. Some might be seen sitting
on their nests, with their long legs bent under them, the weight o f their bodies resting for the most part on
the tarsal joint—others standing on a single leg close by, with shortened neck, the beak and head
occasionally moving partially round as on a pivot—others flapping to and fro, ruffling up their head-gear
and occasionally sparring together. In their various movements the dark-green black o f the head and back,
with the thin white occipital streamers flowing and quivering over it, gave a quaint though not ungainly look
to the birds. From some o f the nests we heard a subdued chattering, like the cry o f young ; and it was to
feed these hungry mouths that the parents were constantly leaving the trees to seek for food a t all times of
the day, while others were returning with supplies. As the sun set they became still more active. While
I sat watching them from a neighbouring roof-top in the evening, numbers emerged from the inky darkness
and, one by one, settled on the stark, bare, out-standing arms o f the cotton-tree. After resting for a little
time like gaunt spectres on the tree-top, off they went, one after the other, with a “ kw a” seldom more than
two in the same direction. As darkness set in, many returned, and the noise and hubbub from the trees
rose to a fearful pitch. Until night hid them from my view, I could see the old birds going and coming,
and hear the clamour of the young. What kind o f nocturnal slumbers the priests enjoyed in the temple
below I never took the trouble to inquire, though I have little doubt that, from constant use, the noise of
these croakershas become quite essential to their good night’s rest,”
“ I fully expected to find in Formosa the Red-backed Night-Heron o f the Philippines, and was annoyed to
discover that it was still our European friend that prevailed. This bird was building abundantly in the fine
old banyans in the city of Taiwanfoo. In summer, when the young require incessant feeding, it is not
unusual to meet the Night-Heron abroad during the day searching for fo o d ; but at other seasons it is
strictly a night-bird, roosting in daylight in company, among osiers or bamboos, on the banks o f inland
waters, and rambling about in the twilight and darkness of night in search o f food. In the darkest nights
their loud kwa may be heard as they wing their way overhead. The Chinese call them Am-kong-cheow, or
bird of darkness, and look upon them with superstitious dread. They are thought to have some connexiou
with evil sp irits ; and as it is the Chinese custom to propitiate the evil demons, that they may not play any
of their mad pranks on humanity, so they give protection to these their birds. In large cities superstition
is laughed down, and not so prevalent; we therefore, in the Formosan capital, were not thought to commit
any great sin in disturbing the ill-hallowed bird ; but among the country-people at Tamsuy, the villagers
for miles round would flock to us when we were out with guns, and beg us not to disturb a colony of Night-
Herons that had commenced nesting-operations in a fine bamboo-grove. This plantation of tall bamboos,
mixed occasionally with longans and other trees, was on a hemp-farm o f four acres, which it entirely
encircled. The flock o f Night-Herons, about two hundred or more in number, showed themselves about
this wood for the first time in March. For a fortnight they merely made it their roosting-site for the day.
In April all was excitement, fighting, and building; and towards the middle o f the month many o f the birds
were laying. In the first few days o f April a large colony of Herodias garzetta came to the same tre e s ; arid
about the middle o f the month a large flock o f Bupkus coromandus. At first the confusion was very
great, the flocks of the several species coming into constant collision; but before the end of the month
all seemed amicably arranged, and you woifld often see on the same tree several nests of the three distinct
Herons, the females sitting and the males standing by to protect. This large mingled heronry was a most
interesting s ig h t; and many times on a fine evening have I taken boat and crossed over to the Heron-farm to
view it. A small wood of large trees stood close by the huts, and these a party o f Ardea cinerea had made
their home ; and here and there among the bamboos you could see a few Herodias eulophotes. Thus within
the precincts o f these few acres one had an opportunity o f observing the habits o f no less than five species of
Herons. I have seen many heronries in different parts of China and Formosa, but none so large or so
excitingly interesting as the one on the Tamsuy river. It was a sight not easily to be forgotten.”
The Plate represents an adult and a young bird, about two-thirds the natural size.