118 
THE GREAT WHITE HERON. 
Bill much longer than the head, straight, compressed, tapering to a point, 
the mandibles nearly equal, but the point of the upper considerably extended 
beyond that of the lower. Upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly 
straight, the ridge broadly convex at the base, convex and narrowed towards 
the end, a groove from the base to near the tip, beneath which the sides are 
convex, the edges extremely thin and sharp ; towards the end broken into 
irregular serratures, the tip acute. Lower mandible with the angle extreme- 
ly narrow and elongated, the dorsal line beyond it ascending and slightly 
curved, the ridge convex, the sides ascending and slightly concave, the edges 
as in the upper, the tip acuminate. Nostrils basal, linear-oblong, longitu- 
dinal, with a membrane above and behind. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck extremely long, slen- 
der. Body slender and compressed ; wings large. Feet very long ; tibia 
elongated, its lower half bare, very slender, covered all round with large 
elongated hexagonal scales ; tarsus long, thicker than the lower part of the 
tibia, compressed, covered anteriorly with large scutella, excepting, at the 
two extremities where there are large angular scales. Toes of moderate 
length, rather slender, scutellate above, flattened, and reticularly granulate 
beneath, the thick margins covered with small scales, the sides with larger; 
the third and fourth toes connected at the base by a reticulated web ; the 
third toe much longer than the fourth, which is considerably longer than the 
second, the first about half the length of the third ; claws of moderate size, 
strong, compressed, curved, obtuse, the first largest, the third next in size, 
and with an inner regularly pectinated edge, all more or less convex beneath. 
Space between the bill and eye, and around the latter, as well as at the 
angle of the mouth bare, as is the lower half of the tibia. Plumage soft, the 
edges of the feathers loose and blended. Feathers of the upper part of the 
head and hind neck elongated and tapering ; of the back long and loose, of 
the rump soft and downy ; scapulars very long, rather compact, the upper 
loose. Feathers of the fore-neck elongated, of the sides of the breast ante- 
riorly very long, loose and tapering ; of the rest of the lower parts broader 
but pointed ; of the tibia shortish. Wings large, rounded ; primaries curved, 
strong, broad, tapering, the three first slightly sinuate on the inner web ; 
third quill longest, fourth scarcely shorter, third almost as long as fourth, 
first a quarter of an inch shorter; secondaries very large, broad and rounded, 
the inner extending as far as the longest primary when the wing is closed. 
Tail short, slightly rounded, of twelve broad, rounded feathers. 
Bill yellow, the upper mandible dusky green at its base ; loral space yel- 
lowish-green ; orbital space light blue. Iris bright yellow. Tibia and hind 
part of tarsus yellow ; fore part of tibia and toes olivaceous, sides of the 
