BOO GREAT WHITE HERON. 
but on a closer examination, its rudiments were plainly to be perceived, 
extending several incbes beyond the common plumage. 
The Great White Heron breeds in several of the extensive cedar 
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 intersected, are regularly, about that season, 
visited by flocks of those birds ; these are frequently shot ; but the old 
ones are too sagacious to be easily approached. Their food consists of 
frogs, lizards, small fish, insects, seeds of the splatter-dock (a species 
of Nymphoe), 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 mosquito brush. The Indians prize them for ornamenting 
their hair, or topknot ; and I have occasionally 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 extremities 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 farther. 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 whole plumage is of a snowy whiteness, except 
the train, which is slightly tinged with yellow. The bill is nearly six 
inches in length, of a rich orange yellow, tipped with black ; irides a 
paler orange, pupil small, giving the bird a sharp and piercing aspect ; 
the legs are long, stout, and of a black color, as is the bare space of 
four inches above the knee ; the span of the foot measures upwards of 
six inches ; the inner edge of the middle claw is pectinated ; the exte- 
rior and middle toes are united at the base for about half an inch, by a 
membrane. 
The articulations of the vertebra are remarkably long ; the intestines 
measure upwards of eight feet, and are very narrow. The male and 
female are alike in plumage ; both, when of full age, having the train 
equally long. 
