70 Birds of Buzzard's Roost 



diagnostic of the family. In the genus Ardea and its imme- 

 diate allies there are three pairs, the normal number ; one on 

 the lower back over the hips, one on the lower belly under 

 the hips, and one on the breast along the track of the formula." 

 The powder-down feathers referred to in the foregoing quo- 

 tation are feathers which are remarkable for continuing to 

 grow indefinitely, and with this there is a constant breaking 

 off of the ends of the barbs. In the illustration they are read- 

 ily seen over the hips and in front of the breast. Mr. Coues 

 says their use is not known, but Mr. Baskett says that "it has 

 been ascertained that in herons at least these spots are phos- 

 phorescent at night, and that fish are thereby lured within 

 easy reach." 



The great blue heron, commonly called the blue 

 crane, is about four feet long from the tip of the bill to the 

 end of the tail and has a wing extent of about six feet. Its 

 bill is from four to six inches long and of a horn color ; iris of 

 the eye, yellow; center of crown and throat, white; sides of 

 crown black, this color meeting on the back of the head where 

 the feathers are lengthened and form an occipital crest; neck, 

 pale greenish-brown; feathers of the lower foreneck narrow 

 and much lengthened, sometimes with black streaks ; back, 

 wing coverts and tail slaty gray; bend of wing, chestnut ru- 

 fous ; tail, very short and even ; black patch and white feathers 

 on the side of the breast ; breast and belly streaked with black 

 and white; tibia long, upper half feathered and of rufous color, 

 lower half bare and yellowish ; tarsus about eight inches long 

 and black ; feet, black ; from tip of front toe to tip of hind toe, 

 eight inches ; hind toe is on a level with the others ; claws mod- 

 erate, curved and acute with the inner edge of the middle one 

 pectinated. Formerly it was believed that the middle toe was 

 pectinated for the purpose of enabling the bird to seize fish 

 with its feet, but it is now understood that this comb-like ar- 

 rangement is for the purpose of removing from the bill the 

 sticky down which adheres to it after cleaning its plumage; 

 the claw is passed from the tip of the bill to the base on each 

 side, and any feathers, slime or fish, or adhering dirt is thus 

 removed. The sexes are alike in appearance, except that the 

 male is the largest. 



