130 THE BIRDS OF AXJSTEALIA 



The Grey or Common Heron. 



Ardea cinerea. 



Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. 



Above light grey, the scapular feathers elongated to narrow drooping 

 plumes of pale grey or white; primary wing-coverts purplish black; tall 

 grey; a crest on the head, white in centre, with band of purplish black 

 on each side, and having two long nuchal plumes; neck, sides of face and 

 under surface white; drooping plumes on side of fore-neck and chest; 

 lower throat has elongated black stripes on each side of the feathers. 

 Total length 30 inches, eulmen 5.1, wing 18, tail 7.2, tarsus 6.8. 



Nest the usual nearly flat structure of sticks built in trees 

 by this class of birds. The ordinary clutch of eggs is four. 

 They are light bluish green, and measure about 2.30 x 1.75 inch. 



Genus Mesophoyx. 

 Edge of mandible distinctly serrated. Head crested. Pore- 

 neck with plumes. An immense dorsal train of fine plumes. 



The Plumed Egret. 



Mesophoyx plumifera. 



Australia, New Guinea, Moluccas, Celebes. 



White above and below; the head crested; the long ornamental plumes 

 of the back 17 inches lonig. These are sold for the purposes of fashion 

 under the name of "Osprey" plumes, the parent birds being killed at 

 nesting time. Feathers of fore-neck 8 inches long and webs broken up; 

 bill yellow; feet black. Total length 25 inches, eulmen 3.1, wing 11, tail 

 5.4, tarsus 4.05. 



A nearly flat stick nest on a tree, usually over water. The 

 full clutch is four eggs. They are bluish-green, and measure 

 about 1.81 X 1.37 inch. 



Genus Herodias. 

 Bill not serrated. No crest but a well-developed dorsal train. 

 Tail quills 12. 



The Egret. 



Herodias timoriensis. 

 North China and Japan to Australia. 



White with a bunch of elongated plumes on the back; the feathers 

 of the fore-neck and sides of upper breast forming a shield on the sides 



