40 ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



color; lanceolate feathers of the jugulum mixed maroon-purple and plumbeous-blue, the former 

 prevailing laterally, the latter medially ; chin and u[)per part of throat pure white ; rest of the 

 throat bright cinnamon-rufous (the feathers white beneath the surface), this gradually becoming 

 narrower and finally broken up at about the middle of the foreneck, whence continued downward 

 in a series of mixe<l touches of white, rufous, and plumbeous ; rest of tlie lower parts, including 

 the whole lining of the wing, and also the rump (the latter concealed by the train), pure white. 

 Upper parts nearly uniform plumbeous-blue, except the train, which is light drab, ^)nler towards 

 the extremity of the feathers. In the breeding season, the terminal third, or more, of the bill black, 

 "the rest sky-blue, shading into lilac at the base, the latter color extending to the eye; legs slate- 

 color ; iris red" (Cory). At other seasons, "bill brownish black on the greater part of the upper 

 mandible, and on the sides of the lower mandible towards the point ; the rest yellow, as is the 

 bare space before and around the eye ; iris bright red ; feet light yellowish green, the anterior 

 scutella; dusky, as are the claws" (Audubon). 



Young: Head and neck light cinnamon-rufous, the feathers plumbeous beneath the surface, the 

 pileuni overlaid with plumbeous, and nape tinged with the same ; chin, throat, and malar region 

 uniform white ; foreneck white, with a median longitudinal series of cinnamon -colored streaks, 

 these more broken posteriorly, where the white is much wider. Entire lower parts (including 

 axillars and lining of the wing), with entire rump and upper tail-coverts, uniform white. Upper 

 parts uniform bluish-plumbeous, the wing-coverts widely tipped with light cinnamon-rufous, and 

 the back more or less tinged with the same. Occipital feathers slightly elongated, forming an 

 inconspicuous pendant crest, the feathers similar in color to those of adjacent parts ; no dorsal 

 plumes. Bill mostly yellow, the culnien and terminal third of ujsper mandible blackish ; " legs 

 deep greenish olive" (Audubon). 



Demerara specimens, representing the true H. tricolor, are very much smaller than more north- 

 em examples. They are also decidedly dai'ker, the neck being in some sjDecimens plumbeous- 

 black, in others dark plumbeous, and the ferruginous of the throat very deep. 



The Louisiana Heron is common on our southern Atlantic coast from the Chesa- 

 peake to the Florida Keys, and is found from thence to Central America in abun- 

 dance. It is common on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, but has not been met with 

 farther north than Mazatlan. It straggles along the Atlantic coast as far north 

 at least as Long Island. Giraud includes it among his birds of Long Island, but 

 states it to be only a very rare and accidental visitant. A single specimen, shot at 

 Patchogue in the summer of 18.36, Avas the only individual of this species known to 

 have been procured in that vicinity. Mr. Lawrence includes it among his list of birds 

 found near New York City. Mr. Turnbull states that it has been occasionally ob- 

 tained on the coast of New Jersey. Wilson speaks of it as sometimes found on the 

 swampy river shores of South Carolina, but more frequently along the borders of 

 the Mississippi, particularly below New Orleans. Mr. Dresser speaks of it as common 

 at Matanioras, and also near San Antonio. He also received it from Fort Stockton, 

 taken there in the summer. At San Antonio he obtained one so late in the season as 

 to render it not improbable that some remain through the winter. In June, 1864, he 

 found a luimber breeding on Galveston Island. They build a heavy nest, either on 

 the ground or in the low bushes. The number of the eggs was four. In Florida, 

 Mr. Boardman found it breeding invariably upon low bushes, and always in company 

 Avith the candidlsslma. Mr. Salvin states that he found this Heron common about 

 the lagoons that line the whole Pacific coast of Guatemala, but he met with none in 

 the interior. It is given by Dr. Gundlach as breeding in Cuba, and is described as a new 

 species by Gosse, among the birds of Jamaica, under the name of Egretta rufieollis ; 

 but he only met with a few specimens, though he regarded it as undoubtedly a per- 

 manent resident in the island. Mr. March speaks of it as one of the most common 

 birds of the island, Avhere it is known as the Red-necked Gaulin. 



Audubon characterizes it as among the most delicate in form, beautiful in plumage, 



