59-
LITTLE
EGRET.
B ë SCRIETION.-
P lace an d -
Ma n k e r s .
Ardea Garzetta, Lin. Syft. i. p. 237. \T>.— Kram. El. p. 346. 3.
L ’Aigrette, Brif. Orn. v. p. 431. 16.— Buf. Oif.yii. p. 372. pi. 20.— El.
Enl. 901.
Ardea..alba minor, feu Garzetta, Rail Syn. p. 99. 5.— Will. Orn. p. 280.
Egret, Br. End. App. pi. 7.— ArS. Zool. N° 347.
Br. Muf. Lev* Muf*
O IZ E of a Fowl.- length near a foot: weight one pound. Bill
black: irides pale yellow: the hind head crefted; two of
the feathers are five inches in length, and narrow, hanging down
behind in an elegant manner: between the bill and eye bare and
green: the whole plumage is of a pure white: there are alfo on
the back a fet of long loofe feathers, which cover and hang over
the rump : the legs are greenifh black : claws black.
This fpecies is almoft a general inhabitant, being found in all
the moderate and warm parts of the globe. Once in plenty in
thefe realms *, now extinct: at lead: one being lhot in Angle-
Jea has been thought a rarity f . In many parts of Europe and'
Afia not uncommon. Found in Africa, files of Madagafcar and
!Bourbon4 _ alfo in great plenty in Siam On the American
continent are met with at New Fork and Long IJland, fome of
the W f India IJlands, and Cayenne §.
* No lefs than one thoufand were in the lift of the famous feaft of Axchbiihop.
Nevil.— Leland It.
f Br. Zool. App. p. 631..
t Seem to be the Criel Herons mentioned by P. Tacbard, which he fays fwarm.
in the trees, fo as to be taken for' bloftoms 'at a diftance; the white mingled
with the green rendering it a pleaftng fight.— Coll. Voy. vol. ii. p.
§. Mem* fur Cay. ii. p.. 257.— The author obferves, that the Egret is Hate-coloured
for the fir ft year ; grey, fpotted with white, the fecond y and pure white
as fnow the third, which it retains ever fter.
This
9*
This fpecies, like others of the Heron tribe, frequents marlhes
and banks of ftreams, and feeds on fijh.
Ardea alba, Lin. Syft. i. p. 239. 24— Faun. Sutc. >6S.— Scof. Ann. i.
N° 126.— Kram. El. p. 346. 2,
Le Heron blanc, Brif. Orn. v. p. 428. i f — Buf. Oif. vii. p. 3 6 ; .— PI.
Enlm 886.
Great white Gaulding, Sloan Jam. p. 314. pi. 266.— Brown Jam. p. 478.
-—Rail Syn. p. 189. 1.
Great white Heron, Raii Syn. p. 99. A. 4__Will. Orn. p. Z79. pi. 49.—
Br. Zool. ii. N° 1 7 ; .— Aril. Zool. N° 344.
Br. Muf. Lev. Muf.
T 'H I S Ipecies meafures three feet fix inches in length, and is
of a fize proportionate. The bill is above fix inches long,
and yellow : irides pale yellow: the plumage wholly of a pure
white : legs black, inclining to green on the thighs.
This bird is very rarely found in England*; but is fufficiently
common on the continent of Europe. Not very plenty in Sweden.
Found about the Cajpian and Black Seas, the lakes o f Great Fartary,
and the river Irtifch, and fometimes as high as lat. 53 f .
Alfo met with in the fouthern parts of America. Migrates northward
in fpring. Found at New Fork from June to October; at
other times found in Jamaica J and Brafil% : found alfo by our
circumnavigators at New Zealand[|.
60. 4- GREAT
WHITE H.
D e s c r i p t io n .
P la ce and
M anne r s *
* One of them was (hot not many years ago in CumlerlanJ.— Dr. Beyjham.
f drft. Zool.
t Where it haunts marfhes, fait ponds, See. and feeds on fmall fifties and
fifh fry.— Sloane.
§ L’Heron blanc du Breftl, Brif. Orn. v. p. 434.— This is not fo long by fix
inches.
II In Dufky Bay. Cook's Voy. i, p. 87.— Forjl. Voy. i, p. 177,
N 2 Le