56 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



Ontario and Manitoba. Breeds throughout its range and winters 

 from Cahfornia and the Gulf Coast southward. 



In Missouri formerly a locally numerous, now a greatly re- 

 duced, summer resident in the flood plains of the larger rivers, 

 chiefly the Mississippi, from April 10 to October 10. More 

 generally distributed in migration, especially in early fall, when 

 young birds may be met with at ponds and pools far away from 

 their usual haunts. When on wing in the twilight going from 

 nesting to distant feeding grounds they resemble ravens, which, 

 with some similarity in their croak, has given rise to the popular 

 name, Night Raven. 



*203. Nyctanassa violacea (Linn.). Yellow-crowned Night 

 Heron. 



Nycticorax violacea. Nyctiardea violacea. Nycterodius violaceus. 



Geog. Dist. — From Brazil to the South Atlantic and Gulf 

 States; in the Mississippi Valley to the mouth of the Ohio; on 

 the Pacific coast to Lower California; casually north to Massa- 

 chusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska and Colorado. Breeds in all 

 parts of its regular summer range, which formerly extended to 

 Indiana, Illinois and Kansas. Winters south of the United 

 States to which it returns in March. 



Thirty-three years ago the breeding range of the Yellow- 

 crowned Night Heron extended up the Illinois bottom to the 

 mouth of the Illinois Ri-'^er. A young of the year in the Hurter 

 collection was captured opposite St. Louis, July 12, 1873, and an 

 adult, April 10. Ten years ago they were still fairly common 

 summer residents in the Peninsula, but of late they have become 

 few and their total extermination as breeders in the state is fast 

 approaching. 



Order PALUDICOLAE. Cranes, Rails, etc. 

 Suborder Grues. Cranes. 

 Family Gruidae. Cranes. 

 204. Grus AMERICANA (Linn.). Whooping Crane. 



Ardea americana. Grus hoyanus (young). Hooping Crane. 



Geog. Dist. — Interior of North America from Mexico, Texas 

 and Florida to Saskatchewan and Athabasca, migrating chiefly 



