HERON. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 
Ardea major. A. occipite crista nigra dependents corpore 
cinereo, collo subtus linea fasciaque pectorali 
nigris. Linn. Syst. Nat. Gmel. 1. p. 627 . 
A black crest pendent from the head, body 
ash-colour, marked with black streaks be- 
neath the neck. 
Ardea cristata. Briss. Av. 5 . p. 396. no. 2. 
t. 35. 
Crested Heron. Allin. Av. 1 . t. 67. 
Common Heron. Buff. Birds, v. 7. p. 329 . Arct. Zool. 2. p. 444. 
no. 343. Will. Orn. p. 277* t. 49. Lath. 
Syn. 3 . p. 83. no. 50. Bew. Birds , 2. p. 37. 
Between the classes of land birds that shun the 
water, and the water fowl that are made for swim- 
ming and living on it, there is formed a very nu- 
merous tribe that seem to partake of a middle na- 
ture, that with divided toes, seemingly fitted to live 
upon land, are at the same time furnished with ap- 
petites that chiefly attach them to the waters. 
They are destined to provide all their sustenance 
from watery places, and yet are unqualified to seek 
it in those depths where it is often found in great- 
est plenty. Of this class we are now treating, 
and of this number is the heron, whose external 
