122 HERONS. 



and, by the assistance of a lengthened neck, they 

 are enabled to survey the pools and waters in which 

 they seek their food, and thus easily discover and 

 secure their prey. The true Herons, of which we 

 possess two native species, will show a typica 1 

 example, and their habits, which we shall endea- 

 vour to describe, if we take them in connection 

 with the physical character of the various countries 

 inhabited by others, will be found, with such mo- 

 difications as depend on these, to be very nearly a 

 picture for the whole. 



They are gregarious during the breeding season, 

 and the colours of the plumage are chiefly shades 

 of grey, intermixed with brown, black, and white, 

 or yellowish-white. Most have the head adorned 

 with a crest, greatly developed during the breed- 

 ing season, at which time also the plumes on the 

 back and breast become elongated into narrow 

 flattened tips, which, indeed, is almost the only 

 change occurring at this period. 



ARDEA LINNAEUS. Generic characters. Bill 

 long, straight, compressed, sharp pointed, 

 edges irregularly broken or serrated inwards ; 

 lores naked : tarsi lengthened, tibiae naked 

 about the joint ; toes four, all placed on the 

 same plane, and resting entirely on the ground, 

 hinder toe about half the length of the middle ; 

 claw of the middle toe pectinated : wings 

 ample, rounded, very concave, third quill slight- 

 ly longest; tail short : plumage rather loose, 



