34 ARDEA ALBA. 



remains of such having been at different times found in 

 their stomachs. 



The long plumes of these birds have at various 

 periods been in great request on the continent of 

 Europe, particularly in France and Italy, tor the purpose 

 of ornamenting 1 the female head-dress. "When dyed of 

 various colours, and tastefully fashioned, they form a 

 light and elegant duster and mosquitoe brush. The 

 Indians prize them for ornamenting their hair, or top- 

 knot ; and I have occasionally observed these people 

 wandering through the market-place of New Orleans 

 with bunches of those feathers for sale. 



The great white heron measures five feet from the 

 extremities of the wings, and three feet six inches from 

 the tip of the bill to the end of the tail ; the train 

 extends seven or eight inches farther. This train is 

 composed of a great number of long, thick, tapering 

 shafts, arising from the lower part of the shoulders, and 

 thinly furnished on each side with fine flowing hair- 

 like threads, of several inches in length, covering the 

 lower part of the back, and falling gracefully over the 

 tail, which it entirely conceals. The whole plumage 

 is of a snowy whiteness, except the train, which is 

 slightly tinged with yellow. The bill is nearly six 

 inches in length, of a rich orange yellow, tipt with 

 black; irides, a paler orange; pupil, small, giving the 

 bird a sharp and piercing aspect ; the legs are long, 

 stout, and of a black colour, as is the hare space of four 

 inches above the knee; the span of the foot measures 

 upwards of six inches ; the inner edge of the middle 

 claw is pectinated ; the exterior and middle toes are 

 united at the base, for about half an inch, by a 

 memhrane. 



The articulations of the vertebrae are remarkably 

 long; the intestines measure upwards of eight feet, and 

 are very narrow. The male and female are alike in 

 plumage ; both, when of full age, having the train equally 



