GREAT AMERICAN EGRET. 605 



nearly straight, the ridge broad and slightly convex at the base, nar- 

 rowed and becoming rather acute towards the end, a groove from the 

 base to two-thirds of the length, beneath which the sides are convex, 

 the edges thin and sharp, with a notch close to the acute tip. Nostrils 

 basal, linear, longitudinal, with a membrane above and behind. Lower 

 mandible with the angle extremely narrow and elongated, the dorsal 

 line beyond it ascending and almost straight, the edges sharp and di- 

 rect, the tip acuminate. 



Head small, oblong, compressed. Neck very long and slender. 

 Body slender and compressed. Feet very long, tibia elongated, its 

 lower half bare, slender, covered anteriorly and laterally with hexago- 

 nal scales, posteriorly with scutella ; tarsus elongated, compressed, co- 

 vered anteriorly with nimierous scuteUa, some of which are divided la- 

 terally and posteriorly with angular scales. Toes of moderate length, 

 rather slender, scutellate above, granulate beneath ; third toe consi- 

 derably longer than the fom-th, which exceeds the second ; the first 

 large ; the claws of moderate length, rather strong, arched, compressed, 

 rather acute, that of the hind toe much larger, the inner edge of that 

 of the third regularly pectinated. '''•x 



Space between the bill and eye, and around the latter, bare. Plu- 

 mage soft, blended ; the feathers oblong, with their filaments generally 

 disunited, unless on the wings and tail. There is no crest on the head, 

 but the feathers on its upper and hind part are slightly elongated ; 

 those on the lower part of the neck anteriorly are elongated ; and from 

 between the scapulae arises a tuft of extremely long, slightly decurved 

 feathers, which extend about ten inches beyond the end of the tail, 

 and have the shaft slightly undulated, the filaments long and distant. 

 The wing is of moderate length ; the primaries tapering but rounded, 

 the second and third longest, the first slightly shorter than the fourth ; 

 the secondaries broad and rounded, some of the inner as long as the 

 longest primaries, when the wing is closed. Tail very short, small, 

 slightly rounded, of twelve rather weak feathers. 



Bill bright yellow, as is the bare space between it and the eye ; iris 

 pale yellow ; feet and claws black. The plumage is pure white. 



Length to end of tail 37 inches, to end of claws 49, to end of wings 

 57 J, to carpus 23^, to end of dorsal plumes 57 ; bill along the ridge 4j\, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 5^^ ; wing from flexure 16| ; tail 6^ ; 

 extent of wings 55 ; bare part of tibia 3^ ; tarsus 6j^^ ; hind toe 1^, 



