556 ARDEIM. 



The Little Egret breeds in marshes, and produces four or 

 five nearly white eggs, one inch and three quarters in 

 length, by one inch and a quarter in breadth. 



The adult bird has the beak black ; the lore green ; the 

 irides yellow; the whole of the plumage a pure and delicate 

 white ; the feathers of the occiput and the bottom of the 

 neck in front elongated ; those of the back gently length- 

 ened and filamentous ; the legs black ; toes blackish green ; 

 claws black. 



The whole length is twenty -four inches. From the beak 

 to the feathers on the forehead, three inches and a half; 

 from the carpal joint to the end of the wing, eleven inches 

 and a quarter ; the first and fourth quill -feathers equal in 

 length ; but not so long as the second and third, which are 

 also equal in length, and the longest in the wing ; length 

 of tarsus four inches; bare part above two inches and a 

 half. 



Young birds are said to be greyish white, and without 

 the elongated plumes. 



