130 
TTIE GREAT BLUE HERON. 
ridge convex, the sides flattish and ascending, the edges as in the upper, 
the tip acuminate. Nostrils basal, linear, longitudinal, with a membrane 
above and behind. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck very long and slender. 
Body slender and compressed; wings large. Feet very long; tibia elongated, 
its lower half bare, very slender, covered all round with hexagonal scales ; 
tarsus elongated, thicker than the lower part of the tibia, compressed, covered 
anteriorly with large scutella, excepting at the two extremities, where it is 
scaly, the sides and hind part with angular scales. Toes of moderate length, 
rather slender, scutellate above, reticularly granulate beneath, third toe 
much longer than second and fourth, which are nearly equal, first shorter, 
but strong ; claws of moderate size, strong, compressed, arched, rather 
acute, the thin inner edge of that of the third toe finely serrated. 
Space between the bill and eye, and around the latter, bare, as is the lower 
half of the tibia. Plumage soft, generally loose. Feathers of the upper part 
of the head long, tapering, decurved, two of them extremely elongated ; of 
the back long and loose, of the rump soft and downy ; scapulars with 
extremely long slender rather compact points. Feathers of the fore-neck 
much elongated and extremely slender, of the sides of the breast anteriorly 
very large, curved and loose; of the fore part of the breast narrower and 
elongated, as they are generally on the rest of the lower surface ; on the 
tibia short. Wings large, rounded; primaries curved, strong, broad, taper- 
ing towards the end, the outer cut out on both margins, second and third 
longest ; secondaries very large, broad and rounded, extending beyond the 
primaries when the wing is closed. Tail of moderate length, rounded, of 
twelve rather broad, rounded feathers. 
Bill yellow, dusky-green above, loral and orbital spaces light green. Iris 
bright yellow. Feet olivaceous, paler above the tibio-tarsal joints ; claws 
black. Forehead pure white; the rest of the elongated feathers bluish-black ; 
throat white, neck pale purplish-brown, the elongated feathers beneath grey- 
’ish-white, part of their inner webs purplish-blue. Upper parts in general 
light greyish-blue, the elongated tips of the scapulars greyish-white, the 
edge of the wing, some feathers at the base of the fore-neck, and the tibial 
feathers, brownish-orange. The two tufts of large curved feathers on the 
fore part of the breast bluish-black, some of them with a central stripe of 
white. Lower surface of the wings and the sides light grevish-blue; elon- 
gated feathers of the breast white, their inner edge black, of the abdomen 
chiefly black ; lower tail-coverts white, some of them with an oblique mark 
of black near the tip. 
Length to end of tail 48 inches, to end of claws 63 inches, extent of 
