BU FT-BACKED HERON. H I
Greater and lesser wing coverts, primaries, secondaries, tertiaries,
greater and lesser under wing coverts, tail and tail coverts, all shining
white. Legs, yellow, the joints darker and tinged with lead-colour;
toes, also darker yellow, and tinged with lead-colour. The middle
claw is pectinated.
The male and female are alike in plumage.
Young; bill, orange yellow; iris, pale yellow; crown of the head,
buff; the feathers on the back a little elongated, but scarcely to be
called a crest; neck on the upper part in front, buff, on the lower
part the feathers are more elongated, and, though not slender, hang
detached over the upper part of the breast. Nape, chin, throat, breast,
and back, snowy white. The wings, when closed, completely cover the
tail. Greater and lesser wing coverts, primaries, secondaries, tertiaries,
greater and lesser under wing coverts, and the tail, which is slightly
forked, and tail coverts, all snowy white. Legs on the joints, and the
bare part above them for about an inch and a half, nearly black, tinged
with green; toes and claws also nearly black, with a tinge of green.