88 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



had in its stomach a number of small fish, half a dozen mice 

 and shrews, and a quantity of frog-spawn. The nest (Plate 33), 

 often in a dense reed-bed, is a large platform raised well above 

 the water ; the nestlings have yellowish-green bare skin and 

 white down. Most of the birds seen in England are in immature 

 dress, when the long plumes are absent, and the general colour 

 is more rusty above and a whiter brown beneath. Length, 

 33 ins. Wing, 14 ins. Tarsus, 5*2 ins. 



Great White Heron. Egretta alba (Linn.). 



The Great White Heron, which has on a few occasions 

 wandered to Britain, breeds in south-eastern Europe and Asia, 

 and migrates to Africa. Closely allied forms and species occur 

 in Asia, Africa, and America, and all are in danger of extermina- 

 tion, for these birds and the egrets provide, at the expense of 

 their lives, the " osprey " plumes and " aigrettes " of commerce. 

 Many large colonies have been destroyed by the rapacity of 

 dealers, who are no more to blame than the women who, 

 thoughtlessly no doubt, persist in wearing these decorations. 



Mr. J. H. Gurney, by careful investigation, proved that this 

 bird is much rarer as a visitor than reports suggested ; he 

 disposed of a large number of erroneous records, retaining only 

 five as reliable, though one or two others have been added 

 since. Inexperienced people, seeing our grey Heron against a 

 dark background, often describe it as white. This bird, about 

 the size of our Heron, is snowy white ; long, graceful plumes 

 hang over the back in the breeding season, and there is a 

 smaller tuft at the base of the neck. The bill is black in 

 summer, yellow at other times ; the legs are reddish black, the 

 irides yellow. The young bird has no plumes, and those of 

 the female are shorter. Length, 35 ins. Wing, 17 ins. Tarsus, 

 775 ins. 



