124 NATURAL HISTORY OP THE BERMUDAS. 



The long silky plumes of the head and breast also very 

 conspicuous. 



This is the first bird of its species I have met with in the 

 Bermudas, and, of course, a further addition to our list. It 

 was a solitary bird. 



Mr. Orde returned from a cruise in his boat this evening, 

 having in his possession two Rice Birds, which were shot 

 by him from a flock of nearly twenty. 



September igth. — Drove to Hungry Bay with Mr. Orde, 

 determined to wade the shallows among the mangroves, in 

 search of the Flamingo and two White Herons said to 

 haunt that spot. On reaching the bay we had the satisfac- 

 tion of seeing a Snowy Heron (Ardea candidissimd) feeding 

 outside the mangroves. The tide was flowing in a gentle 

 stream into the bay, and the beautiful bird seemed busily 

 engaged with its occupation. Leaving Mr. Orde behind a 

 stone wall to watch the bird, I proceeded to walk round; 

 and by wading drive it towards him. I had not gone far 

 before a Heron rose from the margin of the bay in front of 

 me and disappeared among the mangroves. This I had 

 the good fortune to espy sitting in a tree, from which I 

 knocked him down : it proved to be a fine specimen of the 

 Yellow-crowned Night Heron {Ardea violaced) in adult 

 plumage. Length rather more than twenty-two inches. 

 The long dorsal plumes of the back one inch longer than 

 the tail only ; the long, tapering, white plumes of the head, 

 mentioned by Wilson, were wanting ; in other respects this 

 Heron agreed with Wilson's description. 



It is the second bird of its species I have met with in 

 Bermuda. The report of my gun disturbed two Snowy 

 Herons from Mr. Orde's part of the bay, besides two Night 



