294 YELLOW-CROWNED HERON. 
very elongated feathers, with loose margins, the longest extending far 
beyond the end of the tail. Wings long, of great breadth, rounded ; the 
primaries broad and rounded, the third longest, the second and fourth 
nearly equal, the first half an inch shorter than the longest, the rest 
slowly graduated ; secondaries very broad, rounded, the inner elongated, 
some of them nearly as long as the outer primaries when the wing is 
closed. Tail short, even, of twelve broad, rounded feathers. 
Bill black. Iris reddish-orange ; margins of eyelids and bare space 
in front of the eye, dull yellowish-green. Tibia, upper part of the 
tarsus, its hind part, and the soles, bright yellow ; the scutella and scales, 
the fore part of the tarsus, the toes, and the claws, black. Upper part 
of the head pale reddish-yellow in front, white behind, of which colour 
are most of the elongated crest feathers, as well as an oblong patch ex- 
tending from the corner of the mouth, beneath, to behind the ear. The 
rest of the head, and asmall portion of the neck all round, bluish-black ; 
that colour extending nearly half-way down the neck behind. The 
rest of the neck all round, as well as the upper and lower surface of the 
body, light greyish-blue; the feathers of the fore part of the back, 
and wings, having their central parts bluish-black, which is also the 
case with the elongated loose feathers, the dark part margined with 
bluish-white. Alular, primary coverts, and primary quills, dark bluish- 
grey ; secondaries and tail-feathers of a lighter tint. 
Length to end of tail 23} inches, to end of wings 25, to end of loose 
feathers 30, to end of claws 304, to carpal joint 12}; extent of wings 
43>; bill along the ridge 23, along the edge of lower mandible 4; 
width of gape 1; ; depth of bill at base 74; wing from flexure 12}; bare 
part of tibia 21; tarsus 4}; middle toe 23, its claw 2; outer toe LZ, its 
claw §?; inner toe 13, its claw #44 hind toe 1, its claw 3; tail 5. Weight 
1 Ib. 9 oz. 
The Female resembles the male, but is somewhat smaller. 
The Young in October. Plate CCCXXXVI. Fig. 2. 
Bill greenish-black, the lower and basal part of the lower mandible 
greenish-yellow, as are the eyelids and bare space before the eye. 
Iris pale orange. Legs and feet dull yellowish-green, the scutella and 
scales in front, as well as the claws, dusky. Upper part of head and 
hind neck, black, longitudinally marked with somewhat triangular 
elongated white spots ; sides of the head and neck pale dull yellowish- 
