BLACK-BILLED EGRET. 463 



extend two inches and a half beyond the tail, and are sixteen 

 inches in length. The wings are long, broad, and rounded, 

 of twenty-eight quills, besides eight humerals. The third 

 quill is longest ; the fourth a twelfth and a half shorter ; the 

 first five-twelfths shorter than the second, which is five- 

 twelfths shorter than the third. The tail is short, of twelve 

 broad, rounded, rather weak feathers ; the lateral only 

 three-and-a-half-twelfths shorter than the medial. 



The bill is black ; the tip of each mandible greenish- 

 horn-colour to the extent of an inch ; the base and the bare 

 space on each side of the head verdigris green. The inside 

 of the mandible is black ; the fore part of the palate yellow, 

 its hind part flesh-coloured. Tongue dusky, at the base 

 flesh-coloured. Iris light yellow. The bare part of the 

 tibia and the upper part of the surface are flesh-coloured : 

 the scutella of the tarsus and toes dusky brown ; its hind 

 part and the soles dusky flesh-coloured. The claws are 

 brownish-black. The plumage is white, with a faint tinge 

 of yellowish. 



Length to end of tail 44^ inches ; extent of wings 66 ; 

 head and bill 8 ; ridge of upper mandible 4^- ; gape-line 

 6^ ; height of bill -ff , its breadth -^ ; wing from flexure 

 18£ ; tail 7 ; bare part of tibia 5^ ; tarsus 7^-; first toe 1-^, 

 its claw 1^2 ; second toe 3, its claw -j^-; third toe 4^, its 

 claw -j 8 ^ ; fourth toe 3-^-, its claw -fa. 



The individual above described was undoubtedly adult, 

 its bones being well ossified, and its plumage perfect. The 

 testes were highly developed, oblong, unequal, the right one 

 inch, the left an inch and a quarter in length. It was killed 

 by Mr. Martin, gamekeeper to the Earl of Haddington, on 

 Tyningham Sands, on the 9th June, 1840. It had never 

 been observed before that day, and was approached with 

 difficulty. It having been sent to Mr. Macduff Carfrae to be 

 prepared, I was favoured by him with a minute examination 

 of it, in its recent state, and afterwards with an inspection of 

 the body. 



Mention has been made by various writers on British 

 Birds of a White Heron or Great White Egret, which, 

 according to report, had been several times seen, but never 



