GRALL^E GRUID-iE ARDEA. 219 



GENUS ARDEA. 



Bill much longer than the head, robust, straight. Beneath with slender elongated plumes. 

 Head usually with a pendant crest. Hind toe resting its whole length on the ground. 



THE GREAT BLUE HERON. 



Ardea herodias. 

 plate lxxxi. fig. 184. 



Ardea herodias. LINN.EOS, Syst. Nat. 12 ed. p. 237. 



Great Heron. Pennant, Arcl. Zool. Vol 2, p. 443. 



A id. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 8, p. 28, pi. 65, fig. 2. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 304. 



A.H. Richardson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 373. Nuttall, Manual Orn. Vol. 2, p. 42. 



A. id. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 6, p. 122, pi. 369 (male). Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 276. 



Characteristics. Crested. Bluish ash : thighs ferruginous ; crest black, with two long 

 feathers ; back with long greyish plumes. Young : crown dark slate; 

 no dorsal pendant feathers. Length, 50 "0. 



Description. Bill seyen to eight inches long, very sharp at the points, and serrated slightly 

 near the tips. Tarsi nearly as long as the bill. Space between the bill and the eye, and 

 around the latter, bare. 



Color. A white stripe from the base of the bill, passing over the crown. Sides of the 

 crown and hind head bluish black, and crested. Two long tapering black feathers in the 

 crest, six inches in length. Chin and cheeks white, but with double rows of black abbre- 

 viated stripes. Breast with numerous long ashen brown feathers. Thighs and edge of the 

 wings rust-colored. Quills bluish black. Back, wing-coverts and tail bluish. 



Length, 48-0-54'0. 



The Great Blue Heron appears early in the spring, on our coast, from the South, and 

 remains with us until the autumn. It feeds on crabs, shellfish, eels and various fish. It is 

 partly nocturnal in its habits, and a portion of its breast is covered with a down, which is 

 said to be phosphorescent. Its use is supposed to be to attract fishes by night. It lays two 

 to three dull bluish white eggs unspotted. It ranges from 25° to 50° north, but is more 

 usually restricted to 42°. It prefers the vicinity of the sea. It is a resident from South- 

 Carolina southwardly. It is with us a common species, and breeds in this State. 



28* 



