British Birds. 
156 
time in the nest and are fed by the parents, are bristly little creatures, covered with 
greyish down, with grey filamentous plumes on tfie head. The Heron nests in 
isolated colonies all over the British Islands, generally in trees, but where these 
are not available, on rocks or even in scrub near the ground. It is also found 
nesting over the greater part of Europe and Northern Asia, as well as in Africa, 
India and China. The food of the Heron consists of fish and frogs. The nest 
is rather a large structure of sticks, brought by the male to the female, by whom 
the nest is built, the lining being composed of smaller twigs. The eggs are three 
or four in number, of a greenish-blue colour, and measure from two-and-a-quarter 
to two-and-a-half inches in length. 
The present species is pure white, but is distinguished from 
the Egrets by its much larger size. It differs from the Common 
Heron in having no crest, and in its beautiful dorsal train of 
ornamental plumes. The bill is black in summer and yellow in 
winter. The species has occurred about 
eight times in England and Scotland, but 
THE GREAT 
WHITE HERON. 
(Herodias alba.) 
The Little Egret. The Purple Heron. 
The o Buff-backed Egret. The Squacco Heron. The Great White Heron. 
