. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 262 ORDERS OF BIRDS—HERONS, STORKS, AND IBISES. New York Zoological Park. GREAT WHITE EGRET. of the Order of Herons with pure white pkimago, the great white heron beiiig the first. Much to the misfortune of this species, it possesses about fifty "aigrette" plumes which droop in graceful curves from the middle of its back, far be)'ond the tail and wing tips. For these Ijeautiful feathers this bird also has been pursued by plume- hunters, to the point of total exter
. The American natural history; a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America. Natural history. 262 ORDERS OF BIRDS—HERONS, STORKS, AND IBISES. New York Zoological Park. GREAT WHITE EGRET. of the Order of Herons with pure white pkimago, the great white heron beiiig the first. Much to the misfortune of this species, it possesses about fifty "aigrette" plumes which droop in graceful curves from the middle of its back, far be)'ond the tail and wing tips. For these Ijeautiful feathers this bird also has been pursued by plume- hunters, to the point of total extermination. A very few individuals are yet living in Florida, but they will all be blotteil out within a short period. The American Bittern' is a fairly large bird, of a yellowish-brown color, elaborately mottled and streaked with x'arious shades of light and dark. When standing in concealment, it draws in its neck until it wholly disappears in its plumage. The result is an cgg-sha|.)ed bird, with a beak at the small end, pointing heaven- ward, and short, thirk legs below. I have seen a Bittern stand motionless in tliat idiotic atti- ' Bo-tan'ru:i len-lig-i-)io'sti!<. Length, 26 inches. tude for nearly an hour at a time. Even in the whirling gayety of a big Flying Cage, it takes hfe sadly, and never makes merry, as do all other birds, even the funereal vultures. Standing erect, however, the Bittern is a bird with a fair length of neck; but its neck seems much too large and heavy for its body. liecause of the peculiar sound it utters, the Bittern is called the " Stake-Driver," and "; I have never heard thun- der pumped, but with stake-driving am (juite familiar, and must say that I never heard a Bittern give forth a cry that sounded like it. I think also that the "booming" of the Bittern should be taken subject to inspection and ap- |)ro\'al; for to at least one tympanum there is a wide difference between a real "boojn" a
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