Cyprus on the vernal migration in 1875. The buff
plumes which ornament the adult birds of this species
are entirely lost in the autumnal moult; and I have
been frequently asked why we called a perfectly white
bird “ Buff-backed ”—the only possible answer being,
of course, “ custom; ” but I think that “ Cattle-Heron ”
would be a much more appropriate name for this bird
than its commonly accepted English designation.
The drawing for the Plate was taken from a fine
Spanish specimen now alive in the aviary at Lilford, and,
although the position of the feet and toes may strike
many of my readers as unnatural, I can personally vouch
for its strict accuracy.
