THE GREAT WHITE HERON 119 
latter greenish-yellow ; claws light brown. The whole of the plumage is 
pure white. 
Length to end of tail 54 inches, to end of wings 54, to end of claws TO ; 
extent of wings 83; wing from flexure 19; tail 7; bill along the back 6i, 
along the edges 84; bare part of tibia 6; tarsus 84 ; middle toe 4f|, its claw 
-J-f. Weight 94 lbs. 
The Female is smaller, but similar to the male. The dimensions of an 
individual were as follows. 
Length to end of tail 50, to end of wings 50, to end of claws 65; extent 
of wings 75; wing from flexure 18f ; tail 6f; bill along the back 5}!, .along 
the edges 7f, its depth at base 1 T % ; tarsus 74; middle toe 44, its claw T %. 
Weight 74 lbs. 
The young are at first covered with white down, and when fledged, are 
of the same colour. An individual just able to fly was of the following 
dimensions. 
Length to end of tail 43i , to end of claws 56; wing from flexure 18; bill 
SjV; along the edge 74; tarsus 64; middle toe 44, its clawf. The serrature 
of the middle claw is distinct at this age. 
In this species, the skin is uncommonly tender, and of a yellow colour. 
An adult male, received from Captain Napoleon Coste, of the United 
States Eevenue Cutter “ Campbell.” The width of the mouth is 14 inches ; 
but the lower mandible is capable of being dilated to 24 inches, by means 
of an articulation on each side ; the palate ascending, convex, with two 
longitudinal ridges, anteriorly with two papillate ridges, and a median 
^pidge, which runs to the point of the mandible ; the posterior aperture of 
the nares linear, 1! inches in length. Tongue 44 inches long, slender, 
tapering, trigonal, sagittate at the base, with a large pointed papilla on 
each side, flat above, with a median groove for half its length, afterwards 
convex, the tip acute. There is a large gular sac, although covered by 
feathers. The oesophagus is 2 feet 7 inches long, of great width in its 
whole extent, its diameter opposite the glottis being 24 inches, in the other 
parts from 2 to 13. Its walls are very thin, but with the external muscu- 
lar fibres distinct ; the inner coat longitudinally plicate. 
The heart is of moderate size, 1 inch 10 twelfths in length, 14 in breadth. 
The aorta branches immediately in the usual manner, sending oil to the left 
a common carotid and subclavian, which branches at the distance of 74 
twelfths ; to the right the same ; and more to the same side, the carotid pro- 
perly so called, which is smaller than either of the other vessels. The liver 
is of moderate size, its lobes very unequal, the left 2\ inches, the right 34 
inches in length. There is an enormous accumulation of fat in the omentum, 
