82 



ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



Hab. The whole of tropical and warm-temperate America ; north to New York (casual), 

 Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Caliibrnia ; south to Ecuador and Buenos 

 Ayres. 



Sp. Char. Adult : Head and upper half of the neck naked, and covered with a hard, scurfy 

 skin, of a dusky color ; the vertex covered by a somewhat shield-shaped horny plate, of a lighter 

 color, the neck with transverse, somewhat ovate, bark-like, rugose scales. Plumage in general 

 uniform white, the primary-coverts, remiges, and rectiices black, with metallic purple, bronze, and 

 green reflections. " Bill dusky yellowish brown, the edges yellow ; sides of the head dark bluish 

 purple, upper part of head horn-color, or dull grayish yellow, the rest of the bare skin of the same 



tint, many of the scales anteriorly blue ; iris deep brown, at a distance seeming black ; tibia and 

 tarsus indigo-blue ; toes above black, on the Literal and hind toes, however, many of the scutellse 

 bluish gray, the webs pale yellowish tiesh-c(dor ; claws black" (Audubon). Youikj : Head and 

 neck covered with rather scant, somewhat " woolly " feathers, excepting the forehead, anterior part 

 of the crown, loi-es, anterior portion of malar region, chin, and anterior part of thi'oat, which are 

 covered with a smooth skin. Head and neck grayish brown, darkest on the occiput (wliere dark 

 sooty), growing gradually paler below. Rest of the plumage as in the adult, but the bLick featli- 

 ers of wings and tail less metallic.^ Immature: Head bare and corrugated, as in the adult ; neck 

 feathered, as in the young. Wing, 17.60-19.50; tail, 6.10-7.30; culnien, 7.55-9.30; depth of 

 bill through nostril, 1.55-1.90 ; tarsus, 7.00-8.50 ; middle toe, 3.85-4.30 ; bare part of tibia, 5.00- 

 6.25 ;2 weight, llf lbs. ; total length, 44i inches ; extent of wings, 62 inches (Audubon). 



Varying acco\mts have been given of the habits and peculiarities of this re- 

 markable species ; and although some of these divergencies have at first appeared 

 irreconcilable with each other, and as if one or the other statement must be utterly 

 erroneous, more recent investigations have done much to explain and harmonize 

 these apparent discords. Bartram, who enjoyed many opportunities for observing 

 the habits of this species in Florida, characterizes it as solitary and indolent, sel- 

 dom associating in flocks, usually frequenting the banks of the principal rivers 

 and marshes, especially where these are inundated, as well as deserted rice-planta- 

 tions near the sea-coast. He describes it as a feathered hermit standing listless 

 and alone on tin; topmost liud) of some tall decayed cypress, its neck drawn in 



1 Accoi-ding to Audubon, "the young ale dusky gi-ay all over, the quills and tail brownish black ; 

 the heiul all covered witli down, excepting just at tlic base of the bill. After the fir.st moult, the bare 

 space extends over the head and cheeks ; the downy feathers of the hind head and neck are dusky ; the 

 general color of the plumage is white, the quills and tail as in the adult, 1)ut with less gloss." 



- Till adults measured. 



