HERON. GRALLATORES. ARDEA. 23 



and Sardinia. It inhabits the confines of Asia ; and, in 

 Africa, is met with in Nubia and Egypt. 



In its modes of life, it resembles its congeners, and builds 

 among the reeds of lakes and marshes, laying from four to Food, &c. 

 six bluish-white eggs. 



PLATE V. The body is entirely white. The occiput is 



crested, and has (when in perfect plumage) two or three General 

 long narrow subulated feathers. The lower part of the tion. 

 neck is also adorned with long pendant feathers, slight- 

 ly decomposed towards their tips. From the back, be- 

 hind the shoulders, arises a course of long plumes, each 

 composed of a strong elastic shaft, with long, decom- 

 posed hair-like silky webs, which move with the slight- 

 est breath of air. The ends of these feathers curl up- 

 wards, and form (as in Ardea alba) a beautiful train, 

 which the bird, when suddenly disturbed, generally 

 erects. The bill is black, as is also the naked part of 

 the tibia, and upper half of the tarsus ; the remainder 

 of the tarsus and the toes being yellowish-green. The 

 lores are greenish-yellow. 



The young are without the long subulated feathers of 

 the occiput, and lower part of the neck, as well as of 

 those which form the train of the mature bird ; and the 

 lower mandible is white for more than half its length 

 from the base. 



In maturity, this bird measures from one foot ten inches 

 to two feet long. The bill, measuring from the corners 

 of the mouth, is rather more than three inches ; the 

 tarsi four inches ; and the naked part of the tibia about 

 two inches and a quarter in length. 



