NORTH AMERICAN ASH- 
COLOURED HERON. 
For the description of this elegant bird, lit- 
tle more will be necessary, than an almost lite- 
ral transcript of the account given by our mi- 
nute and accurate English naturalist, Mr, 
George J^dwards, which accompanied his ori* 
ginal very beautiful figure. 
This bird, Edwards tells us, differs from om 
Common Heron, in being somewhat bigger, 
and of a brown or ash-colour on it's back; 
as well as in having no white feathers on it's 
forehead, or black spots on it's sides below the 
bottom of the neck. 
Some of it's measurements are as follow : 
from the point of the bill, to the angle of the 
mouth, is full six inches; each wing, wlicn 
closed, is eighteen inches long; the leg-bone, 
from the knee to the foot, is six inches and u 
half; the middle toe, to the end of the nail or 
claw, is five inches and a quarter; and the Ic^^f 
art- 
