121* BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Ardea occidentaUs (supposed colored phase) RIDGW. Bull. U. S. Geol. & J&eog. Surv. 

 Terr, iv, No. 1, Feb. 5, 1881, 227-237 (descriptive and critical) ; Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, 

 No. 486 (part). COUKS, 2d Check List, 1882, No. 656; 2d Key, 1884, 658. B. B. & E. 

 Water B. N. Am. i, 1884, 6. 



HAB. Southern Florida; Cuba; Jamaica; accidental in southern Illinois. 



SP. CHAE. Adult: Entire head, including occipital crest, pure white; the forehead 

 streaked with black (the feathers edged with black, the median stripe being white). Abdo- 

 men and under tail-coverts pure white, the former sparsely streaked with black (these 

 streaks on the inner edge of the feathers, and broader anteriorly), the latter immaculate. 

 Neck deep violaceous-drab (darker and more violaceous than in A. herodias, and ending 

 almost abruptly against the white of the head); the throat with a narrow series of black and 

 rufous dashes on a white ground; plumes of the lower neck white, most of them edged 

 with black, but the longer without grayish tinge. Lateral jugular tufts blue-black, with 

 wide median stripes of pure white. Upper parts exactly as in A. herodias, except that the 

 outermost wing-coverts have conspicuous median streaks of white, while the edge of the 

 wing from the carpus back is white, tinged with rufous, instead of wholly rufous. Tibial 

 feathers paler rufous than in A. herodias, growing almost white next the body on the in- 

 ner side Naked tibias yellow; under side of toes yellow; rest of lees and feet yellowish 

 olive. Young: Similar to young of A. herodias, lout lesser wing-coverts widely tipped 

 with bright ferruginous, producing thereby a conspicuous spotting of this color; all the 

 more exterior wing-coverts, large and small, with a large, terminal, wedge-shaped spot of 

 white. Forehead and crown dusky slate-color, most of the feathers with whitish shafts; 

 occipital plumes all whitish at the base, only the ends being dusky. 



Total length, about 48 to 54 inches; wing, 18.75-21.00; tail, 6.26-8.00; exposed culmen, 

 5.75-6.70; tarsus, 7.30-8.75; middle toe, 4.20-5.20. 



The habits of this bird are essentially the same as those of 

 the Great Blue Heron. Its right to a place in the Illinois fauna 

 may seem questionable, in view of the southern location and 

 restricted area of its proper range, but a single specimen was 

 seen on several occasions by the writer from September 11 to 

 22, inclusive, in the Wabash River, at the Grand Rapids, near 

 Mt. Carmel. Even at a distance which rendered it secure from 

 gunshot, it could at once be distinguished, by its white head 

 and greater size, from individuals of the common species, from 

 which it kept aloof. Unfortunately it could not be secured. 



Ardea herodias Linn. 



THE GREAT BLUE HERON. 



Ardea herodias LINN. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758, 143; ed. 12, i, 1766, 237. WILS. Am. Orn. viii, 1814, 

 28, pi. 65, flg. 5. 8w. &RICH. F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 373. NUTT. Man. ii, 1834, 42. AUD. 

 Orn. Biog. ii, 1835, 87; v, 1839, 599, pi. 211; Synop. 1839, 265; B. Am. vi, 1843, 122, pi. 

 369. BAIRDB. N. Am. 1858, 668; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 487. COUES, Key, 1872, 

 267; 2d ed. 1881; Check List, 1873, No. 449; 2d ed. 1882, No. 655; Birds N. W. 1874,517. 

 RIDGW. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 487; Man. N. Am. B., 1887, 129. B. B. & R. Water 

 B. N. Am. i. 1884, 13.-A. O. TJ. Check List, 1886, No. 194. 



Ardea hudsonias LINN. S. N. ed. 12, i, 1766. 238. 



Ardea lessoni WAGL. Isis, 1831. 531. REICHEN. J. f. O., 1877, 265. 



