SNO WY HER ON. 417 



under the plumage, are clothed with a mass of yellowish 

 white unelastic cottony down, similar to that in most of the 

 tribe, the uses of which are not altogether understood. Male 

 and female alike in colour. 



The young birds of the first year are destitute of the purple 

 plumage on the head and neck. 



SNOWY HEKON. (Ardea candidissima.) 



PLATE LXII.— Fig. 4. 



Lath. Sup. i. p. 230.— No. 3748. 

 EGRETTA CANDIDISSIMA.- Bonaparte. * 



Ardea candidissima, Bonap. Synop. p. 305. — Monog. del Gruppo Egretta. Osserv. 

 Sulla, 2d edit. Del Beg. Anim. Cuv. p. 101. — Wagl. Syst. Av. i. No. 11. 



This elegant species inhabits the sea-coast of North America 

 from the Isthmus of Darien to the Gulf of St Lawrence, and 

 is, in the United States, a bird of passage, arriving from the 

 south early in April, and leaving the middle States again in 

 October. Its general appearance, resembling so much that 

 of the little egret of Europe, has, I doubt not, imposed on 

 some of the naturalists of that country, as I confess it did on 



* This species has, like the others, been also confounded with a near 

 ally. Wagler has unravelled the confusion in his " Systenia," and the 

 Prince of Musignano in his Monograph on this group, as quoted above. 

 To make the matter still clearer, I transcribe the Prince's observations 

 on the " Nomenclature of Wilson." " Two closely allied species of small 

 white-crested herons have much puzzled naturalists, who seem to have 

 rivalled each other in confounding them, some by considering them as 

 identical, others by making several nominal species, thus rendering their 

 synonymy almost inextricable. The species are the A. garzetta of Europe 

 and the subject of the present remarks. The latter does not inhabit 

 Europe, but is said to be found in Asia (which Ave are inclined to doubt) 

 as frecpiently as on this continent, where it is widely extended. Wilson 

 is free from all the above-mentioned errors, having, as usual, admirably 

 established the species. He was, moreover, judicious in his selection of 

 the English and Latin names ; and it was, doubtless, after a careful in- 

 vestigation, that he selected the name of candidissima, which Mr Ord 

 has changed to A. Garolinensis." — Ed. 



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