450 ARDEIDÆ.
GRALLATORES. ARDEIDÆ,
T H E P U R P L E H ERO N . "
Ardea caspica, African Heron, Penn. Brit. Zool. vol. ii. p. 28.
'," V \ » ' >, „ MomvOrnith. Diet.
„ purpurea, Purple-crested Heron, Bewick, Brit. Birds, vh|.,ii. p. .1$*
», ' „ African Herony Flem. Brit. An. p. 96.
», s,, ' Crested Purple Heron, Selby,'Brit. Ornith. vof. xi.’p. 15.
», »> Purple Heron, Jenyns, Brit. Yert. p. 186.
»» ■ », ^ „ Gqnld, Birds of Europe., pt. xx.
» ' „ Heron pourpré, T emm. Man. d’Ornith. vol. ii. p. 570.
T his species is found in the temperate and warmer parts
of Europe, in Africa, and in Asia : and since the days of
Pennant and Montagu so many instances have been recorded
of the occurrence of this bird, in different states of plumage,
in this country, on the southern coast by I)r. Edward Moore
of Plymouth, and of other examples on our eastern coast by
Mr. Selby and Mr. Hoy, that no doubt can remain of the
propriety of including it in a History of -British Birds. Mr.
(#o.uch, of Polperro, sent Bewick a drawing taken from a specimen
which alightJfiy on a fishing^boat two or three leagues
frsm the coast'll! Cornwall. - The bird was caught and
brought on shore alive, but-soon died. Dr. Edward Moore
notices two examples, both young birdsj in Devonshire ; and
in .February 1839, Plumjbre Methuen, Esq. sent me word
that he had obtained a specimen ’slot near Plymouth. Mr.
Selby^ who published in T83U, saysy^l may mention that in
the month of May 1830, a fine male Purple Heron, that
was killedun Norfolk, $b|me in-to^my possession, and its mate
into that of Sir WiHiaEnvdnrdiii#i; and in a note, adds, since
writing the-db#?e, I have'heard of thfee other specimens, two
Tailed in Norfolk, and another near to London. Mr. Hoy,
in {the Magazine of Natural History Tor 1837, vol. x. p. l id ,
says, Som etim e in the month of November 1835, a Purple-
crested Her On was obtained on the borders of a large piece of
water, known by the name of- King’s Fleet; near the mouth
of the Wb'odbridge river, in Suffolk. The- fird rose from
the thick reeds which skirt ‘the water, and was at first supposed
to have been-a Bitfeini-by the person who shot it.
This bird was in the plumage of-the .first year. From the
redness of its scolpurs, at thisiage,-it may be readily mistaken
for the Bittern when first seen. I have known two other
instances of this species of Heron occurring in this county;
I have also known two of three individuals to have been met
with in Norfolk, within a' few years.” Mr. Thompson has
also made known otie instance dfr this bird having been killed
in Ireland.
%g 2