268 



KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



Reddish Egret 



9. Reddish Egret (198. Ardea rnfescens). — A southern, 

 large, '-aigrette" lieron. which occurs in two color phases. 

 (1) Pure white throughout, with the exception of the tips of 



the primaries, which 

 are sometimes spec- 

 kled with grayish. 

 (2) Slate-colored on 

 the body and chest- 

 nut-colored on the 

 neck. The adult, in 

 breeding dress, has 

 aljout thirty of the 

 " aigrette " plumes. 

 Intermediate forms 

 between the phases 

 are also found. 



Length, 27-32; wing, V2\ (12-14J) ; tail, 4i; tarsus, 5i ; culinen, 3|. 

 Gulf States nortii to southern Illinois, soutli to Jamaica and Central 

 America. 



10. Louisiana Heron (19!). Ardea tricolor ruJicoUis). — A 

 small, southern, bluish-slate-colored heron, with white belly 

 and throat line and pur- 

 plish crest and neck. The 

 white rumj) is concealed 



by elongated, purplish- 



,..1 u 4-- t u • ii. V Louisiana Heron 



white - tipped " aigrette 



plumes, reaching to the tail. As the youiKj lack i)lumes, 



they show the white lower back and rumj). and the back has 



more or less of brownish washings. 



Length, 23-28; wing, 10 (8^-11); tail, 3i ; tarsus, 3J ; culmen, 

 3i-4.J. Gulf States, south to Central America and West Indies, casually 

 north to New Jersey and Indiana. 



11. Little Blue Heron (200. Ardea ccerulea). — A small, 

 common, bluish-slate-colored heron, with the head and neck 

 slightly purplish. The lower neck and back feathers are 

 lengthened and sharply pointed. The legs and feet are black. 



