GREAT WHITE HERON 



107 



tiation, its rudiments are plainly to be perceived, extending several 

 inches beyond the common plumage. 



The Great White Heron breeds in several of the exteiisive 

 eedar swamps in the lower parts of New Jersey. Their nests are 

 built on the trees, in societies; the structure and materials exactly 

 similar to those of the Snowy Heron, but larger. The eggs are 

 usually four, of a pale blue color. In the months of July and 

 August the young make their first appearance in the meadows and 

 marshes, in parties of twenty or thirty together. The large ditches 

 with which the extensive meadows below Philadelphia are inter- 

 sected, are regularly, about that season, visited by flocks of those 

 birds; these are frequently shot; but the old ones are too saga- 

 cious to be easily approached. Their food consists of frogs, li- 

 zards, small fish, insects^ seeds of the splatter dock (a species of 

 nymph se) and small water snakes. They will also devour mice 

 and moles, the remains of such having been at different times found 

 in their stomachs. 



The long plumes of these birds have at various periods been 

 in great request, on the continent of Europe, particularly in France 

 and Italy, for the purpose of ornamenting the female head dress. 

 When dyed of various colors, and tastefully fashioned, they form 

 a light and elegant duster and mosquitoe brush. The Indians 

 prize them for ornamenting their hair, or top-knot ; and I have oc- 

 casionally observed these people Wandering through the market- 

 place of New Orleans with bunches of those feathers for sale. 



The Great White Heron measures five feet from the extremi- 

 ties of the wings, and three feet six inches from the tip of the bill 

 to the end of the tail; the train extends seven or eight inches far^ 

 ther. This train is composed of a great number of long, thick, 

 tapering shafts, arising from the lower part of the shoulders, and 

 thinly furnished on each side with fine flowing hair-like threads, of 

 several inches in length, covering the lower part of the back, and 

 falling gracefully over the tail, which it entirely conceals. The 



