THE HEBON-TEIBE 
A r^ei formes 
The members of this Order which includes the herons, 
egrets, bitterns, storks ai^d ibises are usually distinctive in 
appearance* The bill is long and pointed and not rarely 
sawlike on the edges. The head is small and carried by a 
long, snake-like neck : the legs and toes are long. Everything 
about the appearance of a typical heron suggests that it is a 
wading bird which lives by catching live fish and other animals 
for its food. Some folk would carry yet further the idea that 
the heron is remarkably adapted for the life it leads for if one 
raises the outer or contour feathers on a heron's breast it will 
be seen that, on each side, there is a patch of peculiarly modified 
down feathers and it has been said that not only are these 
feathers luminous but that the bird actually lifts its outer 
feathers in order that a light may be cast on the water. 
Fishing at night is therefore easy! Unfortunately for this 
idea Mr, W, P. Pycraft has rather unkindly pointed out that 
■'as herons do not fish by night and the glow would be invisible 
by day, this theory may be regarded as exploded". 
Mystery likewise surrounds the nail on the middle toe 
of the common hcron~an unlikely spot perhaps some people 
will say to find romance and yet there it is E 
If the nail on the long "middle" toe of a heron is examined 
it will be seen that one edge of it is very distinctly fringed or 
serrated, This curious feature has been noticed in certain 
other widely separated and in no way related groups of birds 
such as the night-jars and owls^ but no satisfactory explanation 
has yet been put forward as to its function. The theory that 
it must have something to do with the toilet arrangements of 
the bird, the preening or combing of the feathers for instance, 
is almost irresistable ; but surely if this is so, simple observation 
would Iiave settled the matter long ago and again it is difficult 
to understand why only a few birds , and these of exceedingly 
diverse habits and structure, should possess this comb on their 
middle toe. 
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