RUFOUS-BACKED EGRET.
Ardea russata, Wag.

Le Héron roussatre.

Ir is not, we believe, generally known that this little Egret has been more than once captured within the pre-

cincts of the British Isles : the first instance of its occurrence was recorded by Montagu, in the ninth volume
of the Linnean Transactions, and it was afterwards more fully described in his Ornithologic
the name of Little White Heron ; and this identical Specimen now forms a part of the English collection at
the British Museum. It was shot in the autumn of 1805 near Kingsbridge in Devonshire, and upon dissection
proved to be a female, in all probability a bird of the year, as it is destitute of the fine rufous-coloured tint
with which the adults are adorned.

al Dictionary under

In Europe this species is almost entirely confined to the most southern and eastern parts, and even there it

is a rare bird; at the same time there are few species of the genus which enjoy so extensive a range, being
dispersed over the greater part of Africa and Asia, and being particularly plentiful in the Himalaya and
Nepaul.

Of its habits and manners we have no certain account ; but that small fish, frogs, and insects constitute its
principal subsistence there can be no doubt. The specimen killed in England was observed in the same field
several days among some cows and feeding upon insects.

The adult has the bill, irides, all the head and neck, and the long plumes on the back rich re
the remainder of the plumage pure white; the legs greenish olive ; and the nails black.

We have figured an adult of the natural size.

ddish orange ;