GREAT BLUE HERON. 95 



In the following spring, at which time they have grown much, the 

 elongated feathers of the breast and shoulders are seen, the males shew 

 the commencement of the pendent crest, and the top of the head has be- 

 come white. None breed at this age, in so far as I have been able to ob- 

 serve. The second spring, they have a handsome appearance, the up- 

 per parts have become light, the black and white marks are much purer, 

 and some have the crest three or four inches in length. Some breed 

 at this age. The third spring, the Great Blue Heron is as represented 

 in the plate. 



The males are somewhat larger than the females, but there is very 

 little difference between the sexes in external appearance. This species 

 moults in the Southern States about the beginning of May, or as soon as 

 the young are hatched, and one month after the pendent crest is dropped, 

 and much of the beauty of the bird is gone for the season. The weight 

 of a full grown Heron of this kind, when it is in good condition, is about 

 eight pounds ; but this varies very much according to circumstances, and 

 I have found some having all the appearance of old birds that did not 

 exceed six pounds. The stomach consists of a long bag, thinly covered 

 by a muscular coat, and is capable of containing several fishes at a time. 

 The intestine is not thicker than the quiU of a swan, and measures from 

 eight and a half to nine feet in length. 



Ardea Heuodias, Linn. Syst. Nat. voL i. p. 237. — Lath, Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 692. 



— Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. p. 304. 

 Great Heron, Ardea Hehodias, Wils. Amer. Ornith. voL vii. p. 106. pi. 61. 



Fig. 1. — Nuttall, Manual, voL ii. p. 42. 



Adult Male in spring. Plate CCXI. 



BiU much longer than the head, straight, compressed, tapering to a 

 point, the mandibles nearly equal ; upper mandible with the dorsal line 

 nearly straight, the ridge broadly convex at the base, narrowed towards 

 the end, a groove from the base to near the tip, beneath which the sides 

 are convex, the edges extremely thin and sharp, towards the end broken 

 into irregular serratures, the tip acute. Lower mandible with the angle 

 extremely narrow and elongated, the dorsal line beyond it ascending, and 

 slightly curved, the ridge convex, the sides flattish and ascending, the 

 edges as in the upper, the tip acuminate. Nostrils basal, linear, lon- 

 gitudinal, with a membrane above and behind. 



