GREY NIGHT HERON. 435 



quill longest, the second almost equal, the first nearly as 

 long as the fourth. When folded the wings reach to nearly 

 an inch from the tip of the tail, which is very short, slightly 

 rounded, of twelve arched, weak, rounded feathers. 



The bill is black, toward the base of the lower mandible 

 yellowish-brown. The bare spaces on the head are yellowish- 

 green. The iris, according to authors, is orange-yellow. 

 The feet greenish-yellow ; the claws black. The elongated 

 glossy feathers on the upper part of the head and the nape 

 are greenish-black, or rather of a very deep green ; the three 

 linear feathers Avhite, with the tip black. A white band 

 extends from the forehead over the eyes. The sides of the 

 neck are very pale purplish-grey ; the throat, fore-neck, and 

 the lower parts of the body white, with a tinge of purplish. 

 The fore part and middle of the back, with the scapulars, 

 are deep green, like the head, appearing black at a distance. 

 The back of the neck, hind part of the back, tail-coverts, 

 and tail are pale purplish-blue ; the wings similar, with a 

 tinge of brown, the outer edge of the first quill whitish. 



Length to end of tail 21 inches ; bill along the ridge 2-J4, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 3\% ; wing from flexure 

 12 ; tail 5 ; bare part of tibia -j^-; tarsus 2^-; hind toe 1^, 

 its claw -f^ > second toe lf%, its claw T 8 ^- ; third toe 2-^-, its 

 claw -j^; fourth toe 1-Li, its claw ■£%. 



Female. — The female is similar, but with the elongated 

 nuchal feathers shorter, and the tints somewhat duller. 



Habits. — All the species of this family feed occasionally, 

 if not habitually, by night ; and although the present has 

 been distinguished in this respect from the rest, it is no 

 more a nocturnal prowler than the Bittern, or even the 

 common Heron. It frequents the margins of lakes, pools, 

 or rivers, preferring those which are plentifully furnished 

 with reeds, sedges, and other aquatic plants, among which it 

 may search for its food in comparative security. Like the 

 other birds of the group to which it belongs, it feeds on 

 fishes, reptiles, mollusca, and worms. The nest is placed on 

 the ground, and the eggs, three or four in number, are of 



