HERON. GRALLATORES. ARDEA. 23 
and Sardinia. It inhabits the confines of Asia; and, in 
Africa, is met with in Nubia and Egypt. 
In its modes of life, it resembles its congeners, and builds 
among the reeds of lakes and marshes, laying from four to Food, &e. 
six bluish-white eggs. 
Pirate V. The body is entirely white. The occiput is 
crested, and has (when in perfect plumage) two or three paket 
descrip- 
long narrow subulated feathers. ‘The lower part of the tion, 
neck is also adorned with long pendant feathers, slight- 
ly decomposed towards their tips. From the back, be- 
hind the shoulders, arises a course of long plumes, each 
composed of a strong elastic shaft, with long, decom- 
posed hair-like silky webs, which move with the slight- 
est breath of air. The ends of these feathers curl up- 
wards, and form (as in Ardea alba) a beautiful train, 
which the bird, when suddenly disturbed, generally 
erects. The bill is black, as is also the naked part of 
the tibia, and upper half of the tarsus; the remainder 
of the tarsus and the toes being yellowish-green. The 
lores are greenish-yellow. 
The young are without the long subulated feathers of 
the occiput, and lower part of the neck, as well as of 
those which form the train of the mature bird; and the 
lower mandible is white for more than half its length 
from the base. 
In maturity, this bird measures from one foot ten inches 
to two feet long. The bill, measuring from the corners 
of the mouth, is rather more than three inches. the 
tarsi four inches; and the naked part of the tibia about 
two inches and a quarter in length. 
