110 PEALE’S EGRET HERON. 
long as the middle toe and nail: the hind toe without the nail 
measures more than an inch. 
The young is distinguished by smaller proportions, a circum¬ 
stance for which this group is more than usually remarkable, and 
by the absence of the ornamental feathers: we have, however, 
always observed, even in very young specimens, the tendency of 
the head-feathers to be long and pointed to a considerable extent, 
indicating the future crest. 
