38 AT A HERONRY NEAR LONDON 
ing a slow rate of progression. The wings, 
however, get a good grip of the air, and each 
stroke drives it well forward. As we saw 
the birds flying above their nests (they did 
not soar, but kept their wings moving 
all the time) they were sharply outlined 
against the sky, and we could see several 
feathers missing in the great wings. (And 
we also noticed that the wings were broad 
and rounded at the ends.) But this did not 
seem to impede their flight. (Feathers in 
moulting are shed evenly in each wing, other- 
wise a bird could not fly straight during this 
time.) The male in full plumage is a fine 
fellow, standing three feet high. He has a 
handsome bluish-black crest, consisting of a 
few long feathers surmounting a nearly white 
head and neck. The full length of the crest 
is not obtained till the third” year, tas 
shorter in the female. In the fledglings it 
is a very noticeable feature when the young- 
sters sit up in the nest to be fed. They then 
erect the fluffy almost white feathers com- 
posing it. These feathers are continued down 
