HERONS. 



295 



The male bird was sitting, and as we approached raised himself off the nest and 

 walked slowly away in an erect attitude for a few yards before taking flight." 

 The three eggs, although larger, were similar to those of the common species. 



Great Very different in appearance to the more typical representatives 



White Heron. o f the genus is the great white heron (A. alba), which, together with 



the numerous smaller forms known as egrets, is characterised by its more slender 





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: - ;:::: 



GREAT WHITE HERON (& nat. size). 



body and limbs, the extremely long neck, less robust bill, the white plumage, and 

 the beautiful elongated plume-like feathers of the back. On account of these 

 differences some writers have referred these birds to a separate genus (Herodias). 

 The great white heron is a few inches longer than the common species, and has 

 the whole plumage of a glistening silvery white ; the feathers at the back of the 



