GREY HERON. 443 



closed to two inches beyond the tail ; the second quill 

 longest, the first and third slightly shorter. Tail short, 

 somewhat rounded, of twelve decurvate weak feathers. The 

 ventral feathers are soft and tufty; the crural short and 

 somewhat compact. On the breast is a large space, and 

 behind the thigh on each side a smaller space, covered with 

 slender down tufts. On the other parts the down is lax, 

 and of ordinary texture. 



The bill is yellow, with the ridge of the upper mandible 

 broAvn toward the end; the bare space between the bill and 

 the eye green. The iris is yellow ; the feet dull green ; the 

 tibia yellow ; the claws black. The fore and upper parts of 

 the head are greyish-white. From the eyes to the occiput 

 the feathers are black, tinged with blue and glossy. The 

 neck in general is whitish, tinged with reddish-purple, 

 passing below into purplish-grey. A band of numerous 

 oblong black spots on a white ground down the fore part of 

 the neck, and commencing about three inches from the bill. 

 The upper parts in general are ash grey or bluish-grey : the 

 acuminations of the scapulars bluish-white. The alular 

 feathers and quills are deep indigo-black, tinged with ash- 

 grey, the secondaries becoming ultimately of the latter 

 colour. The edge of the wings is white, their lower surface 

 bluish-grey. From the shoulders a broad band of bluish- 

 black to the abdomen ; the feathers in the angle or on the 

 fore part of the breast white, with some black spots ; the 

 sides ash-grey ; the tibial feathers whitish ; the lower tail- 

 coverts white. The tail ash-grey, of a darker tint toward 

 the end. 



Length to end of tail 39^ inches ; extent of wings 72 ; 

 bill along the ridge 4, along the edge of lower mandible 6^ ; 

 wing from flexure 18 ; tail 6^ ; bare part of tibia 2j ; tarsus 

 6-Jj ; first toe 1 j, its claw ^-| ; second toe 2^-, its claw -fe ; 

 third toe 3^, its claw T 8 ^- ; fourth toe 3, its claw ^-. 



A very large individual, shot on the coast of Kincardine- 

 shire, has the bill entirely yellow ; the occipital plume seven 

 inches long ; the elongated feathers on the fore part of the 

 neck from six to seven inches. The principal measurements 

 of this specimen are as follows : — Length 40 inches ; bill 



