SQUACCO HERON. 



491 



with black, and six long narrow white feathers margined with black extend 

 beyond the crest : the feathers on the lower back and breast are spread 

 out into plumes. The soft parts of the head of this Heron are very- 

 beautiful. When newly killed it has the tip of the bill black, the re- 

 mainder cobalt-blue, and the bare skin round the eye emerald-green ; 

 the legs and feet are flesh-colour, yellow on the soles and round the knees, 

 claws black ; irides pale yellow. The female resembles the male in colour, 

 but the plumes are shorter. After the autumn moult all the feathers of 

 the neck, except the chin, throat, and a narrow line down the fore neck, 

 have dark brown margins, like the feathers on the crown in summer 

 plumage ; the black and white feathers of the crest, and nearly all the 

 nuptial plumes on the back, are absent, and the feathers of the upper 

 back, the scapulars, and innermost secondaries are earthy brown. Young 

 in first plumage have the upper parts more or less streaked, but otherwise 

 very closely resemble the adults in winter plumage, birds of the year 

 being slightly intermediate. 



