ARDEID4—HERONS. 179 
Order HERODII. 
Family ARDEIDZ. 
enus ARDEA. 
COMMON HERON. 
Ardea cinerea Zznn. 
Adult Male: Fore part of crown, fore-neck, cheeks, a 
patch on chest, abdomen and lower tail-coverts white ; occi- 
pital plumes black, much elongated ; neck shaded with grey, 
broadly streaked in front with black, the feathers of lower part 
much elongated ; primaries black ; upper parts generally ashy- 
grey, with elongated feathers paler grey, szdes of breast marked 
boldly with black ; bill and irides yellow ; legs and feet greenish. 
Length 36 inches ; culmen 5; wing 17°5 to 185; tail 7 ; tarsus 
to 5°5. 
: Adult Female: Differs only from the male in having 
slightly duller coloration and shorter occipital and neck 
plumes. 
Immature Birds: Crown dull grey; back of neck and 
back brownish-grey ; occipital plumes and those of chest 
scarcely elongated; front part of neck and chest more 
conspicuously marked with black ; whole of under parts duller 
than in adults ; bill brownish above, yellow beneath ; legs 
brownish. 
Distribution : Inhabits most parts of Europe, Asia and 
Africa, excepting in the extreme north of the two former conti- 
nents. 
Habitat; Margins of rivers or lakes ; salt lagoons. 
N 2 
