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inches in length. Mr. Latham believes that this appendage is found 
only in males of a full age, or perhapsvery old birds. Mr. Pennant 
fays that the long foft black feathers on the fides were ufed in old times 
as egrets for the hair, or ornaments to the caps of knights of the garter ; 
and the crefts of the males are now ufed as ornaments in the Eaft, 
‘The female has only a very fhort plume of dufky greyifh feathers, 
and the loofe feathers that hang over the breaft are very fhort, while 
thofe of the other fex are long. This has been generally fuppofed 
a diftin@ kind: the accurate Linneus defcribed it as another {pecies, 
under the fpecific name cinerea, and many other naturalifts have been 
of the fame opinion, as appears by the fynonyms: Mr. Pennant ob- 
ferves this was formerly fuppofed; ‘‘ but later obfervations prove 
them to be the fame.” Mr. Latham adopts precifely the opinion of 
Mr. Pennant, but in neither of their accounts can we find the au- 
thority on which that opinion is founded. It is worthy of remark 
that Albin, who lived at a time when Heronries were far more nu- 
merous than at prefent (though even now they are very common in 
fome parts*), in the firft volume of his Birds, has figured the male, 
and in the third volume the female, yet gives not the fmalleft reafon 
to conclude that he did not confider them as diftin& {pecies. 
In the breeding feafon they unite in large focieties, and build on 
the higheft trees. The neft is made of flicks, and lined with rufhes, 
wool, feathers, &c. ‘They lay four, five, or fix eggs, of a pale green 
colour. They defert the nefts in the winter, and are then found on 
the banks of rivers, or marfhy places. 
' The length is about three feet: breadth five feet ; weight exceeds 
three pounds. 

* At Crefi Halt, near Gefberton in Lincolnfhire, I have counted eighty nefts in one 
tree.” Pennant. 
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