ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE. 



SPECIES. 



POINTS OF DISTINCTION. 



Buff-backed Heron 



(continued} 



Night Heron . 



Little Bittern . 



Spoonbill . 



Crane . , 



Demoiselle Crane , 



Avocet . 



Black-winged Stilt , 



neck, and breast feathers fila- 

 mented, and buff in colour ; 

 dorsal plumes buff. Length 

 1 8 inches. 



General colour lavender ; head and 

 upper back black shot with green; 

 crest composed of several long 

 white cylindrical feathers. Young 

 brown above, spotted with white ; 

 white below, striped with brown. 

 Length 21 to 24 inches. 



Upper parts black shot with green ; 

 under parts buff; lower neck 

 feathers elongated. Length 12 

 inches. 



General colour white ; crest short 

 and bushy, tinged with yellow ; 

 bill broadly flattened at end. 

 Young have wing feathers tipped 

 with black, and black shafts. 

 Length 31 to 36 inches. 



General colour gray ; wings black ; 

 innermost secondaries forming 

 long curled plumes; crown 

 scarlet and warty, bare of feathers. 

 Length 48 inches. 



Similar in colour to preceding, but 

 smaller; throat feathers elon- 

 gated ; tuft of white feathers on 

 each side of head; secondaries 

 forming uncurled plumes. Length 

 31 inches. 



Bill long, slender, and recurved; 

 general colours black and white ; 

 feet semi-webbed. Length 18 

 inches. 



Bill straight and slender; general 



