HERON. 91 



A. — Snowy Heron, Gen. Syn. Sup. No. 236. 



In this the bill is black ; irides the same ; the whole plumage 

 white as snow ; hind part of the head and neck, sides of the breast, 

 and back, covered with long, narrow, hair-like feathers, flowing 

 very beautifully with every puff of wind ; those of the hindhead 

 longer than the rest, forming a slight crest; legs black, toes yellow. 



This bird inhabits the neighbourhood of Carthagena, in South 

 America, called by the Spaniards, Garca Blanca. The voice is loud 

 and disagreeable ; is sometimes eaten by the Indians. One of 

 these in the drawings of Mr. Abbot, said to be twenty-three inches 

 and a half long, and thirty-six broad. In this the bill is three 

 inches long, with an elegant crest; plumage perfectly white; scapu- 

 lars herring-boned, and turning up over the tail ; bill slate-colour ; 

 base and lore yellow; bare part of the thighs pale blue ; legs black, 

 the bend of the joint behind yellow; feet and toes yellow. 



Young birds, of the first season, have neither the long plumes of 

 the breast nor back ; but the female differs very little from the male, 

 except that the crest, and other ornaments, are not equal in length. 



These birds come into the United States in April, and depart in 

 October; found chiefly in the salt marshes, during the summer, and 

 feed on the fiddling crabs,* mud-worms, snails, frogs, and lizards. 



One of the breeding places is among the red cedars of Sommer's 

 Beach, on the Coast of Cape May, making the nest on the branches; 

 some trees containing three, and others four nests, which are formed 

 wholly of sticks ; the eggs generally three, pale greenish blue, one 

 inch and three quarters long, by one inch and a quarter broad ; and 

 very well tasted ; and the young, which are in general fat, are 

 esteemed good eating. 



* Cancer vocans.— Lin. 

 N 2 



