56 BLUE HERON. 



in sequestered places, during the day. What is very remarka- 

 ble, those night wanderers often associate, during the breeding 

 season, with the others; building their nests on the branches of 

 the same tree; and, though differing so little in external form, 

 feeding on nearly the same food, living and lodging in the same 

 place; yet preserve their race, language, and manners as per- 

 fectly distinct from those of their neighbours, as if each inhabit- 

 ed a separate quarter of the globe. 



The Blue Heron is twenty-three inches in length, and three 

 feet in extent; the bill is black, but from the nostril to the eye, 

 in both mandibles, is of a rich light purplish blue; iris of the 

 eye gray, pupil black, surrounded by a narrow silvery ring; 

 eyelid light blue; the whole head and greater part of the neck, 

 is of a deep purplish brown; from the crested hind-head shoot 

 three narrow pointed feathers, that reach nearly six inches be- 

 yond the eye; lower part of the neck, breast, belly and whole 

 body, a deep slate colour, with lighter reflections; the back is 

 covered with long, flat, and narrow feathers, some of which are 

 ten inches long, and extend four inches beyond the tail; the 

 breast is also ornamented with a number of these long slender 

 feathers; legs blackish green; inner side of the middle claw pec- 

 tinated. The breast and sides of the rump, under the plumage, 

 are clothed with a mass of yellowish white unelastic cottony 

 down, similar to that in most of the tribe, the uses of which 

 are not altogether understood. Male and female alike in colour. 



The young birds of the first year are destitute of the purple 

 plumage on the head and neck. 



