Lewis: August 2, 1804
On this day, one of the expedition's hunters brought Lewis a white heron, which he examined and described in detail. Lewis noted the bird's habitat in ponds and marshes along the Mississippi and lower Ohio Rivers, where it feeds on tadpoles, frogs, and small fish. He recorded extensive measurements of the two-pound specimen, including its yellow pointed beak, sea-green eyes ringed with pale yellow, black legs, white plumage, wing joints, toe lengths, and the distinctive tufts of long feathers near the shoulders.
August 2ed 1804. This day one of our Hunters brought me a white Heron.
this bird as an inhabitant of ponds and Marasses, and feeds upon tadpoles,
frogs, small fish &cthey are common to the Mississipi and the
lower part of the ohio River, (ie) as high as the falls of that river.
this bird weighed two lbs.it’s plumage is perfectly white and very
thin
F I. from extremity of beak to the extremity of toe 4 71/4 from tipp to
tip of wing on the back 4 11
it’s beak is yellow pointed, flated crosswise and 5 Inches in length from
the upper region of the bill to the eye is one inch in length, covered
with a smoth yellow skin the plumage of the head projecting towards the
upper bill and coming to a point a an Inch beyond the eyes on the center
of the upper bill. The mouth opens to distance of the eyesThe eye
is full and projecting reather, it is 7/10 of half an inch. four joints in
the wing
Inches 1st joint from body in length 6 2ed Do. 81/4 3rd Do. 31/2 4th Do. 1
1st joint Number of feathers 7 Length of 3 2nd 18 6 3 6 from 10 to 12 4th
5 12
it’s legs are blackthe neck and beak occupy 1/2 it’s length. it has
four toes on a footthe outer toe on the right foot is from the
joining of the leg to extremity of toe nale 4 Inch & 1/4 has four
joints exclusive of the nail jointthe next is 43/4 inches has three
joints exclusive of the nale joint. the next is 33/4 and has two joints,
the heel toe has one joint only and is 3 Inches in length. the nails are
long sharp and blackthe eye is of a deep seagreen colour, with a
circle of of pale yellow around the sight forming a border to the outer
part of the eye of about half the width of the whole eye. the tale has 12
feathers of six inches in length.the wings when folded are the same
length with the tale.
has 2 remarkable tufts of long feathers on each side joining the body at
the upper joint of the wing. these cover the feathers of the 1st joint of
the wings when they are over extended
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
August 2nd, 1804. Today one of our hunters brought me a white heron. This bird is an inhabitant of ponds and marshes, and feeds upon tadpoles, frogs, small fish, etc. They are common to the Mississippi and the lower part of the Ohio River, that is, as high as the falls of that river. This bird weighed two pounds. Its plumage is perfectly white and very thin.
Feet and inches: from the extremity of the beak to the extremity of the toe, 4 feet 7 1/4 inches; from tip to tip of wing across the back, 4 feet 11 inches.
Its beak is yellow, pointed, flattened crosswise, and 5 inches in length. From the upper region of the bill to the eye is one inch in length, covered with a smooth yellow skin. The plumage of the head projects toward the upper bill and comes to a point an inch beyond the eyes on the center of the upper bill. The mouth opens to the distance of the eyes. The eye is full and rather projecting; it is 7/10 of half an inch. There are four joints in the wing.
Inches: 1st joint from body, length 6; 2nd joint, 8 1/4; 3rd joint, 3 1/2; 4th joint, 1. Number of feathers: 1st joint, 7, length 3; 2nd, 18, length 6; 3rd, 6, length 10 to 12; 4th, 5, length 12.
Its legs are black. The neck and beak occupy half its length. It has four toes on a foot. The outer toe on the right foot, from the joining of the leg to the extremity of the toe nail, is 4 1/4 inches, and has four joints exclusive of the nail joint. The next is 4 3/4 inches and has three joints exclusive of the nail joint. The next is 3 3/4 and has two joints. The heel toe has one joint only and is 3 inches in length. The nails are long, sharp, and black. The eye is of a deep sea-green color, with a circle of pale yellow around the sight forming a border to the outer part of the eye, of about half the width of the whole eye. The tail has 12 feathers, six inches in length. The wings, when folded, are the same length as the tail.
It has 2 remarkable tufts of long feathers on each side joining the body at the upper joint of the wing. These cover the feathers of the 1st joint of the wings when they are over-extended.
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