Great White Heron, Ardea Egretta, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p. 106, pl. 61, fig. 1.
Ardea Egretta, Wagler, Syst. Avium,—Great White Heron, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 47.
Ardea Leuce, Illiger, Lichtenstein.
Adult Male in Summer. Plate CCCLXXXVI.
Bill much longer than the head, straight, compressed, tapering to a point, the mandibles nearly equal. Upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly straight, the ridge broad and slightly convex at the base, narrowed and becoming rather acute towards the end, a groove from the base to two-thirds of the length, beneath which the sides are convex, the edges thin and sharp, with a notch close to the acute tip. Nostrils basal, linear, longitudinal, with a membrane above and behind. Lower mandible with the angle extremely narrow and elongated, the dorsal line beyond it ascending and almost straight, the edges sharp and direct, the tip acuminate.
Head small, oblong, compressed. Neck very long and slender. Body slender and compressed. Feet very long, tibia elongated, its lower half bare, slender, covered anteriorly and laterally with hexagonal scales, posteriorly with scutella; tarsus elongated, compressed, covered anteriorly with numerous scutella, some of which are divided laterally and posteriorly with angular scales. Toes of moderate length, rather slender, scutellate above, granulate beneath; third toe considerably longer than the fourth, which exceeds the second; the first large; the claws of moderate length, rather strong, arched, compressed, rather acute, that of the hind toe much larger, the inner edge of that of the third regularly pectinated.
Space between the bill and eye, and around the latter, bare. Plumage soft, blended; the feathers oblong, with their filaments generally disunited, unless on the wings and tail. There is no crest on the head, but the feathers on its upper and hind part are slightly elongated; those on the lower part of the neck anteriorly are elongated; and from between the scapulæ arises a tuft of extremely long, slightly decurved feathers, which extend about ten inches beyond the end of the tail, and have the shaft slightly undulated, the filaments long and distant. The wing is of moderate length; the primaries tapering but rounded, the second and third longest, the first slightly shorter than the fourth; the secondaries broad and rounded, some of the inner as long as the longest primaries, when the wing is closed. Tail very short, small, slightly rounded, of twelve rather weak feathers.
Bill bright yellow, as is the bare space between it and the eye; iris pale yellow; feet and claws black. The plumage is pure white.
Length to end of tail 37 inches, to end of claws 49, to end of wings 57 1/4, to carpus 23 1/2, to end of dorsal plumes 57; bill along the ridge 4 7/12, along the edge of lower mandible 5 5/12; wing from flexure 16 1/2; tail 6 1/4; extent of wings 55; bare part of tibia 3 1/2; tarsus 6 1/12; hind toe 1 1/2, its claw 1 2/12; second toe 2 8/12, its claw 7/12; third toe 3 11/12, its claw 9/12; fourth toe 3 2/12, its claw 7 1/2/12. Weight 2 1/4 lb.
The Female is similar to the male, but somewhat smaller.