466 EGRETTA ALBA. 



somewhat sinuate, and toward the end slightly deflected. A 

 large bare space on each side of the head extending from the 

 base of the bill to a little behind the eye and angle of the 

 mouth. 



The nostrils are linear, six and a half twelfths long. The 

 eyes are rather small. The legs are very long and slender ; 

 the tibia feathered for nearly half its length ; in the rest of 

 its extent considerably compressed, and covered with large 

 elongated hexagonal scales ; the tarsus long, compressed, 

 rounded before and behind, with fourteen large anterior 

 scutella ; a posterior series of large scales on the inner, and 

 of two rows of smaller on the outer side. The hind toe is 

 moderate with nine scutella, the second considerably shorter 

 than the fourth, and with twenty scutella ; the third very 

 long, with thirty scutella ; the fourth with twenty-eight, and 

 connected with the third by a basal web. The claws are 

 moderate, arched, compressed, that of the middle toe serrate, 

 with about thirty teeth. 



The feathers on the head and neck are of moderate length, 

 oblong, or rather subovate, of rather loose texture, excepting 

 those on a longitudinal band along the fore part of the neck, 

 which are small and more compact. The occipital feathers 

 are very slightly elongated, the longest being an inch and 

 four twelfths, scarcely forming a crest. On the lower part of 

 the neck the feathers are considerably elongated. On the 

 lower part of the body they are long and of loose texture, 

 especially on the anterior portion of the breast margining 

 and covering a large space, which is bare in the centre, and 

 on each side has a broad longitudinal band of singular downy 

 plumules of a huffy colour, about three-fourths of an inch in 

 length, with a long orange-coloured shaft, and extremely 

 feeble, so as to be easily torn across. On the sides and lower 

 parts, the down is of the ordinary kind ; but on each side of 

 the abdomen, behind the femur, is a patch of buffy down. 

 On the fore part of the back the feathers are large and ovate, 

 on the hind part perfectly downy. From the fore part of the 

 back arise four series of very elongated feathers, having 

 rather firm, though slender, straightish shafts, with widely 

 separated, deflected, barbulate filaments, the longest extend- 



