84 
ARDEA ALBA. 
remains of such having been at different times found in 
their stomachs. 
The long plumes of these birds have at various 
periods been in great request on the continent of 
Europe, particularly in France and Italy, for the purpose 
of ornamenting the female head-dress. When dyed of 
various colours, and tastefully fashioned, they form a 
light and elegant duster and mosquitoe brush. The 
Indians prize them for ornamenting their hair, or top- 
knot ; and I have occasionally observed these people 
wandering through the market-place of New Orleans 
with bunches of those feathers for sale. 
The great white heron measures five feet from the 
extremities of the wings, and three feet six inches from 
the tip of the bill to the end of the tail ; the train 
extends seven or eight inches farther. This train is 
composed of a great number of long, thick, tapering 
shafts, arising from the lower part of the shoulders, and 
thinly furnished on each side with fine flowing hair- 
like threads, of several inches in length, covering the 
lower part of the back, and falling gracefully over the 
tail, which it entirely conceals. The whole plumage 
is of a snowy whiteness, except the train, which is 
slightly tinged with yellow. The bill is nearly six 
inches in length, of a rich orange yellow, tipt with 
black ; irides, a paler orange ; pupil, small, giving the 
bird a sharp and piercing aspect; the legs are long, 
stout, and of a black colour, as is the bare space of four 
inches above the knee ; the span of the foot measures 
upwards of six inches ; the inner edge of the middle 
claw is pectinated ; the exterior and middle toes are 
united at the base, for about half an inch, by a 
membrane. 
The articulations of the vertebrae are remarkably 
long ; the intestines measure upwards of eight feet, and 
are very narrow. The male and female are alike in 
plumage ; both, when of full age, ha ving the train equally 
long. 
