64 PROCEEDINGS OP THE ACADEMY OP 



white ; sides black. Wing quills blackish. ; thigh rufous ; tail bluish. Iris 

 yellowish, with hazel pupil ; bill with lower mandible yellow, dark flesh- 

 colored at the base ; upper mandible reddish horn, lighter on the edges ; 

 tongue whitish, mouth deep rosy flesh-colored ; leg, feet and claws black, 

 scales with whitish edges ; thighs, a short space from the knee, and a stripe 

 back and front black, the rest tawny ; palms dull clayish. 



The dimensions of the adult male are, length 46 inches, expanse 74, flex- 

 ure 19, bill 6|, leg 7, thigh 9, middle toe 4|. 



This species is very variable, rarely agreeing exactly in the dimensions and 

 m the coloring of the head and belly. The female and young male generally 

 have the head black without the white center, and the breast and under tail 

 coverts greyish, streaked with white and blackish. The sack or stomach 

 of one shot at the river side near Spanish Town was filled with small river 

 shrimps and water snails, intermixed with small pieces of river grass (Cera- 

 lophyllum demersum) evidently pulled up in taking the food ; and in the gullet 

 of another shot at Great Salt Pond was a mullet nearly eight inches in 

 length. 



275. Ardea Wurdemannii ? The White-crowned Heron is in the upper 

 plumage very like the preceding, but has the crown and occipital elongated fea- 

 thers white ; the under parts white, streaked with black ; the breast bluish 

 black, with bluish grey or ashy on the sides. Length nearly 50 inches, ex- 

 panse 75 or more, flexure 21, leg 8, middle toe about 13, thigh 9, bill 6-. 

 Greenish brown, yellowish beneath. 



The fishermen and gunners on the coast say this is the male of the preced- 

 ing species in summer plumage, but, from two specimens I have collected, I 

 think they are quite distinct. 



113. Ardetta exilis. The Tortoise-shell Bittern is not uncommon among 

 the mangroves and along the banks of streams. It is generally found soli- 

 tary. Length 13^ inches, expanse 17 to 18, flexure 4} to 5, bill and leg each 

 nearly 2. The prevailing colors of this Bittern are dark glossy green and 

 purplish cinnamon mixed with tawny. Iris and bill yellow, the latter darker 

 at the tips, legs tawny. The head and back of the female are chestnut in- 

 stead of green and cinnamon. The eggs are small. 



112. Butorides virescens. The Crab Catcher is found as a solitary bird in 

 almost every locality in which there is water. The dimensions are, length 

 17 to 20 inches, expanse 25 to 28, flexure 7 to 8, leg and bill 2 to 2^. Head 

 with crest glossy green, upper parts of body green, wing coverts edged with 

 tawny brown ; neck and sides of throat chestnut : chin white ; line down 

 the centre of throat white, intermixed with greenish and chestnut ; under 

 parts and sides leaden ash. Iris yellow ; upper mandible black, lower man- 

 dible yellow, with black edge ; legs and feets dusky greenish yellow. The 

 mature male has two stripes on the side of the head towards the ear, with a 

 white stripe streaked with black between them. 



This species also builds on trees in the morasses and swamps, and on river 

 banks overhanging the streams. The eggs are nearly as large as those of the 

 Gaulins. 



Butorides beunnescexs. A Cuban species is supposed to be found here, 

 but I have not recognized it in any of my collections. From Gundlach's de- 

 scription this differs from the preceding in having the tip of the lower mandi- 

 ble greenish white ; skin of face olive black ; round the eye yellowish green ; 

 legs olive brown ; lesser wing coverts and small quills dark metallic green, 

 with rusty edges ; large quills without white ; lesser under coverts grey ; 

 Throat yellowish brown, dark grey at base ; foreneck blackish, with metallic 

 green lustre, rusty tips and pale yellowish lateral edges. It also wants the 

 white and black streaked line from the angle of the mouth towards the ear 



[March. 



