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HERONS. 
and, by the assistance of a lengthened neck, they 
are enabled to survey the pools and waters in which 
they seek their food, and thus easily discover and 
secure their prey. The true Herons, of which we 
possess two native species, will show a typical 
example, and their habits, which we shall endea- 
vour to describe, if we take them in connection 
with the physical character of the various countries 
inhabited by others, will be found, with such mo- 
difications as depend on these, to be very nearly a 
picture for the whole. 
They are gregarious during the breeding season, 
and the colours of the plumage are chiefly shades 
of grey, intermixed with brown, black, and white, 
or yellowish-white. Most have the head adorned 
with a crest, greatly developed during the breed- 
ing season, at which time also the plumes on the 
back and breast become elongated into narrow 
flattened tips, which, indeed, is almost the only 
change occurring at this period. 
Arde.v Linnteus. — Generic characters. — Bill 
long, straight, compressed, sharp pointed, 
edges irregularly broken or serrated inwards ; 
lores naked : — tarsi lengthened, tibiae naked 
about the joint ; toes four, all placed on the 
same plane, and resting entirely on the ground, 
hinder toe about half the length of the middle ; 
claw of the middle toe pectinated: — wings 
ample, rounded, very concave, third quill slight- 
ly longest; tail short: — plumage rather loose, 
