GREAT WHITE HERON. 181 



this Heron nests from October to February in groves of 

 trees, the trunks of which are submerged in the wet season. 

 In Ceylon, Colonel Legge describes it as nesting on the 

 same trees with other Herons, Spoonbills, and Pelican- 

 Ibises ; the surface of the nest being almost flat, with 

 scarcely any hollow for the reception of the eggs, which are 

 laid on a lining of roots and twigs. The eggs are three or 

 four in number, of a pale greenish-blue colour, and average 

 in measurements 2*5 by 1*5 in. 



The food of this species consists of small fish, reptiles, 

 mollusks, and aquatic insects. Colonel Legge says that 

 "it leaves its feeding-grounds early in the evening, and 

 resorts at once to the tall trees on which it nightly roosts. 

 It is as a rule a silent bird, but, when put up, now and then 

 utters a single note like kar.'" 



Adult birds have the beak black during the breeding- 

 season, turning to yellow in autumn ; the lore and bare space 

 round the eye, pale green ; irides yellow ; the whole plumage 

 white ; the feathers of the back of the head very slightly 

 elongated ; those at the bottom of the neck in front, more 

 so ; the interscapulars and dorsal feathers very long and fila- 

 mentous in spring, but absent in autumn ; legs, toes, and 

 claws almost black : the tibia paler. 



Adult males and females are alike in plumage, but the 

 former are the larger and have the plumes more developed. 



The whole length from the point of the beak to the end 

 of the tail is about three feet four inches. From the carpal 

 joint to the end of the wing, seventeen or eighteen inches ; 

 length of the tarsus seven inches and a half. 



Young birds do not acquire the elongated feathers during 

 their first or second year ; the bill is yellowish and the legs 

 are paler. A nestling from the Lower Volga, lent to the 

 Editor by Mr. E. Bidwell, is covered with long hair-like 

 greyish-white down ; the bare skin of the throat is livid ; 

 the bill yellowish, black at the tip ; legs and feet yellowish. 



