NIGHT HERON. 171 



The beak is yellow at the base, and dusky at the tip ; the lore 

 and orbits bluish white ; the iris deep orange. The top of the 

 head, nape, back, and scapulars are black, reflected with green. 

 The lower part of the back, wings, rump, and tail are pearl- 

 white ; all the under parts are pure white. Three long, 

 barbed, white feathers proceed from the nape. These feathers 

 are of great beauty, and of peculiar form : the shafts are 

 very slender and delicate, yet of sufficient strength to enable 

 the bird to erect the feathers at pleasure ; their curious form 

 also confers a stiffness, that, on account of their great delicacy, 

 they could not otherwise possess, the webs being not 

 placed on a level or presenting a flat surface, but inclined 

 downwards on each side, like the roof of a house. The 

 feathers themselves are situated one above the other in a line, 

 the ridge of the lower fitting closely into the hollow under sur- 

 face of the one above. The upper feather of the three is 

 the longest, and sometimes measures about eight inches. 



The young bird of the year has the iris brown. The parts 

 which are black in the adult are in this state brown ; and 

 those parts that are white in the adult are cinereous brown, 

 with white spots. The back and shoulders are also spotted 

 with dull white. 



The egg figured 178 is that of the Night Heron. 



