336 CLASS AVES. 



melancholy birds, which nestle and perch on the 

 banks of rivers, where they destroy a great deal of 

 fish. Their dung burns the trees. There are in 

 both continents very many species, which can be 

 subdivided only by some diversities of plumage. 



The true herons have a very slender neck, fur- 

 nished at the base with long pendant feathers. 



The Common Heron. Ardea Major, and Ardea 

 Cinerea, Lin. Enl. 755 and 787, Frisch. 178, 9, 

 Naum. 1 Ed. 25, f. 33, 4. 



Bluish-ash, with a black crest on the occiput ; the 

 forepart of the neck is white, sprinkled with black 

 dots. It is a large bird, very destructive to river 

 fish, and was celebrated in ancient times for the 

 pleasure taken by the great in hunting it by fal- 

 conry. 



Ard. Purpurea, Enl. 788, 

 Naum. 1, Ed. Sup. 45, f. 89-90. 



Grey and red, or purplish. 



Great Heron. A. Herodias, Gm. Wilson, 8, 65, 2, 

 the young of which is probably Enl. 858. 



Crested, bluish-ash ; thighs, ferrugineous ; middle 

 toe shorter than the tarsus ; adult, crown, bluish and 

 white, with two long tapering black feathers ; back 

 with long narrow white tapering plumes ; crown, dark 

 slate, when young. North America. 



A. Cocoi, Lath. Spix. 90, 

 under the false name of Ardea Macqzcari. 



Crest and back, ash ; beneath, black-spotted ; sides 

 of head, black. Brazils. 



