478 BRITISH BIRDS. 



dent in India^ Ceylon, Burma, and China. Examples from Europe and 

 North Africa vary in length of wing from 16 to 18 inches, and in length 

 of tarsus from 7 to 8 inches. Examples from Asia are on an average 

 smaller, varying in length of wing from 13^ to 16 inches, and in length of 

 tarsus from 5^ to 6| inches. The latter, if subspecifically distinct, may 

 be distinguished as Ardea alba var. modesta * . 



In addition to the two forms of uncrested White Egrets whose range is 

 given above, there are two nearly allied species with which they have often 

 been confounded. Both of these may be distinguished in summer by the 

 colour of the bill, which is yellow at all seasons of the year. Ardea egretta 

 does not differ in measurements from its black-billed ally ; but its varia- 

 tions in size do not appear to be geographical. It breeds throughout 

 the Southern States of America, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in New 

 Zealand, and Australia, and occasionally wanders as far as Japan, Ardea 

 intermedia is a much smaller bird, almost as small as its crested European 

 ally {A. garsetta) ; it breeds in South Africa, India, Burma, China, and 

 Japan. It is not known that the Great White Egret has any nearer 

 allies than these and the Crestfed White Egrets mentioned^ in the article 

 on the Little Egret. There is some difficulty about the determination of 

 the White Egrets in winter plumage j but it seems probable that A. candi- 

 dissimia and A. eulophotes do not lose their crests in winter. A. garzetta 

 loses his crest, but retains his black bill, which is a sufficient distinction. 

 The bill of A. alba becomes yellow in winter, at which season this bird is 

 indiptinguishable from A. egretta, or from small examples of A. occiden- 

 talis after they have lost the crest-feathers. 



The Great White Heron is only a summer visitor to Europe, arriving in 

 April and leaving in September. It appears to be nowhere a very common 

 bird, and to have become rarer of late years. 



The habits of this graceful bird resemble those of the Common Heron 

 in many respects. It delights to frequent the outskirts of extensive 

 swamps, the margins of rivers, and shallow weed-grown lakes, together 

 with wiUow-thickets and other wooded country when it is flooded. It 

 may frequently be seen in small parties of perhaps half a dozen individuals 

 walking sedately about mud-flats and low islands, or standing preening 

 its brilliantly white plumage. It is a very conspicuous bird, and may be 

 observed for half a mile or more ; consequently it is very wary, and seldom 

 allows the observer to come near. It looks remarkably graceful as it walks 



* The synonymy of the eastern form is as follows : — 



Ardea flavirostris, Temm.Jide Wagl. Syst. Av. Ardea, sp. 9 (1827). 

 Ardea modesta, Gray, HI. Ind. Zool. ii. pi. 49 (1834). 

 EgTetta modesta {Or ay), Bonap. Consp. ii. p. 117 (1857). 



