174 STRA Y FEA THERS FROM MANY BIRDS. 



liarity which extends almost without exception through 

 this family. In the Herons the nestlings are clothed in 

 down. The young in first plumage differ more or less 

 considerably from their parents. In the Common 

 Heron, the Purple Heron, and the Night Heron, the 

 differences are very marked, and the adult stage is not 

 reached until after the second or third autumn moult. 

 In the Egrets and Ibises, however, the young in first 

 plumage resemble their parents in winter plumage, that 

 is in the Egrets without the nuptial ornaments, and 

 after their first spring they only differ in having their 

 plumes not quite so much developed. Young Bitterns 

 resemble their parents in colour, even in their first 

 plumage. Young Spoonbills differ from their parents 

 in having the primary quills tipped with black, and the 

 shafts of these feathers and of the secondaries are also 

 black. The crest is rudimentary and the bill is smooth. 

 Young White Storks, and those in their second plumage, 

 also resemble the old birds in colour ; but young Black 

 Storks differ considerably from their parents, the 

 head and neck and the wing coverts having rusty white 

 tips, and the metallic gloss is much less developed. 



The moulting time of birds is the most critical period 

 of their lives. Not only do they become sickly at this 

 time and out of condition, but they are comparatively 

 helpless, and easily fall into the clutches of their 

 enemies. We notice that during the moulting season, 



