78 NATURAL HISTORY [Birds. 



as those found here at that season are of the species next to 

 be described. 



The great characteristic difference of this from the follow- 

 ing is the crest, which is long, and of a deep black in this, 

 but grayish-dusky in the other ; the head is white ; the whole 

 upper part of the body is ash-coloured ; the lower part of the 

 throat to the breast is a yellowish-white, most beautifully spot- 

 ted with black, insomuch that at a distance it has the appear- 

 ance of spotted ermine ; the feathers are all long and loose ; 

 the belly white, with stripes of a very deep black ; the legs a 

 dirty green ; the toes long, and pretty strong. 



Its long legs are thrown straight behind it in flying, as a 

 counterpoise to its neck. 



The places where they frequent most are all round the sea- 

 shores of the different isles, the loch of Stenness, and in the 

 night-time sit in flocks on the outer holm of Stromness, toge- 

 ther with the next species, one always sitting higher than the 

 rest, who no sooner sees any danger but he gives the alarm, 

 and the whole flock betake themselves to flight. 



Species 2. The Ash-coloured Heron. 



Aldrovandus, his third kind of Ash-coloured Heron, Wil. Orn. 279. Raii Syn. 

 AV. 98. Ardea Cinerea, Lin. Sys. 236. Brit. Zool. 340, tab. 6. Sib. Scot. 

 18. 



THE Heron, for such a small body, has a large flight, to 



