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BLUE HERON. 
the day. What is very remarkable, these night wanderers often 
associate, during the breeding season, with the others ; building 
their nests on the branches of the same tree ; and, tho differing so 
little in external form, feeding on nearly the same food, living and 
lodging in the same place ; yet preserve their race, language and 
manners as perfectly distinct from those of their neighbours, as if 
each inhabited a separate quarter of the globe. 
The Blue Heron is twenty-three inches in length, and three 
feet in extent ; the bill is black, but from tbe nostril to the eye, in 
both mandibles, is of a rich light purplish blue; iris of the eye gray, in 
some specimens pale yellow, pupil black, surrounded by a narrow 
silvery ring; eyelid light blue ; the whole head, and greater part of 
the neck, is of a deep purplish brown ; from the crested hind-head 
shoot three narrow pointed feathers that reach nearly six inches 
beyond the eye ; lower part of the neck, breast, belly and whole 
body, a deep slate color, with lighter reflections ; the back is cover- 
ed with long, flat and narrow feathers, some of which are ten 
inches long, and extend four inches beyond the tail ; the breast is 
also ornamented with a number of these long slender feathers ; legs 
blackish green; inner side of the middle claw pectinated. The 
breast and sides of the rump, under the plumage, are clothed with 
a mass of yellowish white unelastic cottony down, similar to that 
in most of the tribe, the uses of which are not altogether under- 
stood. Male and female alike in color. 
The young birds of the first year are destitute of the purple 
plumage on the head and neck. In this state we may refer this 
species to the Jl. cyanopus or Cinereous Heron of Dr. Latham. 
