132 



EGRETS. 



OUR next beautiful division of the Herons, is that 

 of the Egrets, distinguished by a more slender 

 form in every part, by the plumes on the back 

 being very long and disunited, and in the plumage 

 being generally pure white, and always pale at 

 one period, either in the complete or incomplete 

 plumage. Some of the lesser species, where the 

 colours and form vary, serve to connect them with 

 the small bitterns. They breed on trees, sometimes 

 at only a few feet from the ground, but in general 

 at a high elevation, and, with few exceptions, in 

 the vicinity of water. The species are numerous, 

 and spread over the world, and are often so closely 

 allied, that there is great difficulty in distinguish- 

 ing them, consequently, our synonymes are both 

 numerous and often erroneous. 



EGRETTA. Generic characters. Bill very slen- 

 der, slightly bending at the tip ; gonys not 

 ascending ; legs long ; inner toe shorter than 

 the outer ; feathers of the breast, back, and 

 scapulars, very long, and with the webs much 

 disunited. 



Types, Ardea alba, A. garzetta, luce, Bonap., &c. 



