NIGHT HERON. 77 



Eagle himself has been seen reconnoitring near the spot, pro- 

 bably with the same design. 



Contrary to the generally received opinion, the males and fe- 

 males of these birds are so alike in colour, as scarcely to be dis- 

 tinguished from each other; both have also the long slender 

 plumes that flow from the head. These facts I have exhibited 

 by dissection on several subjects, to different literary gentlemen 

 of my acquaintance, particularly to my venerable friend, Mr. 

 William Bartram, to whom I have also often shown the young, 

 represented at fig. 3. One of these last, which was kept for 

 some time in the botanic garden of that gentleman, by its voice 

 instantly betrayed its origin, to the satisfaction of all who ex- 

 amined it. These young certainly receive their full coloured 

 plumage before the succeeding spring, as on their first arrival 

 no birds are to be seen in the dress of fig. 3, but soon after they 

 have bred, these become more numerous than the others. Ear- 

 ly in October they migrate to the south. According to Buffon, 

 these birds also inhabit Cayenne; and are found widely dispersed 

 over Europe, Asia, and America. The European species, how- 

 ever, is certainly much smaller than the American ; though, in 

 other respects, corresponding exactly to it. Among a great 

 number which I examined with attention, the following descrip- 

 tion was carefully taken from a common sized full grown male. 



Length of the Night Heron two feet four inches, extent four 

 feet; bill black, four inches and a quarter long, from the corners 

 of the mouth to the tip; lores, or space between the eye and 

 bill, a bare bluish white skin; eyelids also large and bare, of a 

 deep purple blue; eye three quarters of an inch in diameter, the 

 iris of a brilliant blood red, pupil black; crested crown and hind- 

 head deep dark blue, glossed with green; front and line over the 

 eye white; from the hind-head proceed three very narrow white 

 tapering feathers, between eight and nine inches in length: the 

 vanes of these are concave below, the upper one enclosing the 

 next, and that again the lower; though separated by the hand, 

 if the plumage be again shook several times, these long flowing 

 plumes gradually enclose each other, appearing as one; these 



