COMMON HERON. 



449 



elongated spots ; the white feathers at the bottom of tlie neck, 

 before the chest, elongated : under surface of the body grey- 

 ish white, streaked with black ; legs and toes greenish yellow ; 

 claws brown. 



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

 of the tail, about three feet. From the carpal joint to the 

 end of the wing, seventeen inches : the first and the fifth 

 quill-feathers equal in length ; the second, third, and fourth, 

 also nearly equal in length, and the longest in the wing. 



Adult females resemble the males in plumage, but the 

 colours are not quite so pure and bright. 



Young birds during their first and second year, have no 

 elongated feathers at the back of the head, or at the bottom 

 of the neck in front ; head and neck ash colour, with dull 

 dusky grey streaks in front ; the upper mandible of the beak 

 greenish brown, the under mandible yellow ; the legs darker 

 in colour, almost brown, and the grey plumage on the upper 

 surface of the body and wings tinged with brown. 



The vignette below represents the breast-bone of the Com- 

 mon Heron, about one-third less than the natural size. 



VOL. II. 



2g 



