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. Qf ^he genus is the great white heron {A. alba), which, together with 



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



GREAT WHITE HERON (J 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 



