THE GREAT WHITE HERON. 115 



Egan told me that incubation continues about thirty days, that both birds 

 sit, (the female, however, being most assiduous,) and with their legs stretched 

 out before them, in the same manner as the young when two or three weeks 

 old. The latter, of which I saw several from ten days to a month old, were 

 pure white, slightly tinged with cream colour, and had no indications of a 

 crest. Those which I carried to Charleston, and which were kept for more 

 than a year, exhibited nothing of the kind. I am unable to say how long it 

 is before they attain their full plumage as represented in the plate, when, as 

 you see, the head is broadly but loosely and shortly tufted, the feathers of 

 the breast pendent, but not remarkably long, and there are none of the 

 narrow feathers seen in other species over the rump or wings. 



These Herons are sedate, quiet, and perhaps even less animated than the 

 Ji. Herodias. They walk majestically, with firmness and great elegance. 

 Unlike the species just named, they flock at their feeding grounds, sometimes 

 a hundred or more being seen together; and what is still more remarkable 

 is, that they betake themselves to the mud-flats or sand-bars at a distance 

 from the keys on which they roost and breed. They seem, in so far as I 

 could judge, to be diurnal, an opinion corroborated by the testimony of Mr. 

 Egan, a person of great judgment, sagacity and integrity. While on these 

 banks, they stand motionless, rarely moving towards their prey, but waiting 

 until it comes near, when they strike it and swallow it alive, or when large 

 beat it on the water, or shake it violently, biting it severely all the while. 

 They never leave their feeding grounds until driven off by the tide, 

 remaining until the water reaches their body. So wary are they, that 

 although they may return to roost on the same keys, they rarely alight on 

 trees to which they have resorted before, and if repeatedly disturbed they 

 do not return, for many weeks at least. When roosting, they generally 

 stand on one foot, the other being drawn up, and, unlike the Ibises, are 

 never seen lying flat on trees, where, however, they draw in their long neck, 

 and place their head under their wing. 



I was often surprised to see that while a flock was resting by day in the 

 position just described, one or more stood with outstretched necks, keenly 

 eyeing all around, now and then suddenly starting at the sight of a Porpoise 

 or Shark in chase of some fish. The appearance of a man or a boat, seemed 

 to distract them; and yet I was told that nobody ever goes in pursuit of 

 them. If surprised, they leave their perch with a rough croaking sound, 

 and fly directly to a great distance, but never inland. 



The flight of the Great White Heron is firm, regular, and greatly 

 protracted. They propel themselves by regular slow flaps, the head being 

 drawn in after they have proceeded a few yards, and their legs extended 

 behind, as is the case with all other Herons. They also now and then rise 



