SNOWY HERON. 



419 



itself, half devoured by the hawks, crows, or gulls. She had 

 probably perished in defence of her eggs. 



The snowy heron is seen at all times during summer among 

 the salt marshes, watching and searching for food, or passing, 

 sometimes in flocks, from one part of the bay to the other. 

 They often make excursions up the rivers and inlets, but re- 

 turn regularly in the evening to the red cedars on the beach 

 to roost. I found these birds on the Mississippi early in June, 

 as far up as Fort Adams, roaming about among the creeks 

 and inundated woods. 



The length of this species is two feet one inch ; extent, three 

 feet two inches ; the bill is four inches and a quarter long, 

 and grooved ; the space from the nostril to the eye, orange 

 yellow, the rest of the bill black ; irides, vivid orange ; the 

 whole plumage is of a snowy whiteness ; the head is largely 

 crested with loose unwebbed feathers, nearly four inches in 

 length ; another tuft of the same covers the breast ; but the 

 most distinguished ornament of this bird is a bunch of Ions: 

 silky plumes, proceeding from the shoulders, covering the 

 whole back, and extending beyond the tail ; the shafts of these 

 are six or seven inches long, extremely elastic, tapering to the 

 extremities, and thinly set with long, slender, bending threads 

 or fibres, easily agitated by the slightest motion of the air ; 

 these shafts curl upwards at the ends. When the bird is irri- 

 tated, and erects those airy plumes, they have a very elegant 

 appearance : the legs and naked part of the thighs are black ; 

 the feet, bright yellow ; claws, black, the middle one pectinated. 



The female can scarcely be distinguished by her plumage, 

 having not only the crest, but all the ornaments of the male, 

 though not quite so long and flowing. 



The young birds of the first season are entirely destitute of 

 the long plumes of the breast and back ; but as all those that 

 have been examined in spring are found crested and orna- 

 mented as above, they doubtless receive their full dress on the 

 first moulting. Those shot in October measured twenty-two 

 inches in length by thirty-four in extent ; the crest was begin- 



