478 BRITISH BIRDS. 
dent in India, Ceylon, Burma, and China. Examples from Europe and 
North Africa vary in length of wing from 16 to 18 inches, and in length 
of tarsus from 7 to 8 inches. Examples from Asia are on an average 
smaller, varying in length of wing from 13} to 16 inches, and in length of 
tarsus from 54 to 62 inches. The latter, if subspecifically distinct, may 
be distinguished as Ardea alba var. modesta* . 
In addition to the two forms of uncrested White Egrets whose range is 
given above, there are two nearly allied species with which they have often 
been confounded. Both of these may be distinguished in summer by the 
colour of the bill, which is yellow at all seasons of the year. Ardea egretta 
does not differ in measurements from its black-billed ally ; but its varia- 
tions in size do not appear to be geographical. It breeds throughout 
the Southern States of America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in New 
Zealand, and Australia, and occasionally wanders as far as Japan. Ardea 
intermedia is a much smaller bird, almost as small as its crested European 
ally (A. garzetta) ; it breeds in South Africa, India, Burma, China, and 
Japan. It is not known that the Great White Egret has any nearer 
allies than these and the Crested White Egrets mentioned in the article 
on the Little Egret. There is some difficulty about the determination of 
the White Egrets in winter plumage; but it seems probable that A. candi- 
dissimia and A. eulophotes do not lose their crests in winter. A. gargetta 
loses his crest, but retains his black bill, which is a sufficient distinction. 
The bill of A. alba becomes yellow in winter, at which season this bird is 
indistinguishable from A. egretta, or from small examples of A. occiden- 
talis after they have lost the crest-feathers. 
The Great White Heron is only a summer visitor to Europe, arriving in 
April and Jeaving in September. It appears to be nowhere a very common 
bird, and to have become rarer of late years. 
The habits of this graceful bird resemble those of the Common Heron 
in many respects. It delights to frequent the outskirts of extensive 
swamps, the margins of rivers, and shallow weed-grown lakes, together 
with willow-thickets and other wooded country when it is flooded. It 
may frequently be seen in small parties of perhaps half a dozen individuals 
walking sedately about mud-flats and low islands, or standing preening 
its brilliantly white plumage. It is a very conspicuous bird, and may be 
observed for half a mile or more; consequently it is very wary, and seldom 
allows the observer to come near. It looks remarkably graceful as it walks 
* The synonymy of the eastern form is as follows :— 
Ardea flavirostris, Temm. fide Wagl. Syst. Av. Ardea, sp. 9 (1827). 
Ardea modesta, Gray, Ill. Ind. Zool. ii. pl. 49 (1834). 
Egretta modesta (Gray), Bonap. Consp. ii. p. 117 (1857). 
