38 ARDEA LUDOVICIANA. 



have boon informed, builds its nest on trees, amidst the 

 inundated woods. Its manners correspond very much 

 with those of the blue heron. It is quick in all its 

 motions, darting about after its prey with surprising 

 agility. Small fish, frogs, li/ards, tadpoles, and various 

 aquatic insects, constitute its principal food. 



There is a bird described by Latham in his General 

 Synopsis, vol. iii, p. 88, called the demi egret,* which, 

 from the account there given, seems to approach near 

 to the present species. It is said to inhabit Cayenne. 



Length of the Louisiana heron, from the point of the 

 bill to the extremity of the tail, twenty-three inches; 

 the long hair-like plumage of the rump and lower part 

 of the back extends several inches farther; the bill is 

 remarkably long, measuring full five inches, of a 

 yellowish green at the base, black towards the point, 

 and very sharp; irides, yellow; chin and throat, white, 

 dotted with ferruginous and some blue ; the rest of the 

 neck is of a light vinous purple, intermixed on the 

 lower part next the breast with dark slate coloured 

 plumage; the whole feathers of the neck arc long, 

 narrow, and pointed ; head, crested, consisting first of 

 a number of long, narrow, purple feathers, and under 

 these seven or eight pendent ones, of a pure white, and 

 twice the length of the former ; upper part of the back 

 and wings, light slate ; lower part of the back and rump, 

 white, but concealed by a mass of long unwebbed hair- 

 like plumage, that falls over the tail and tips of the 

 wings, extending three inches beyond them ; 'these 

 plumes are of a dirty purplish brown at the base, and 

 lighten towards the extremities to a pale cream colour; 

 the tail is even at the tip, rather longer than the wings, 

 and of a fine slate; the legs and naked thighs, greenish 

 yellow; middle claw, pectinated; whole lower parts, 

 pure white. Male and female alike in plumage, both 

 being crested. 



* See also BUFFOX, vol. vii, p. 378. 



