86 Birds of Colorado 



up from the decomposed plumes developed only in the 

 breeding season. Both birds were formerly to be found 

 in millions in Florida and along the Gulf coast ; now, 

 except in a few specially protected United States bird- 

 reservations, the care of which has been assumed by the 

 National Audubon Society, they are practically ex- 

 terminated. 



Genus DICHROMANASSA. 



Egrets of medium size, wing 12 — 14, with very short toes, the 

 middle one barely half the length of the tarsus ; feathers of the head 

 and neck sHghtly elongated and a dorsal train in breeding season : 

 plumage dichromatic with two distinct colour phases independent of 

 age, sex or season. 



One North American species. 



Reddish Egret. Dichromanassa rufescens. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 198— Colorado Records— Cooke 97, pp. 61, 157. 



Description. — Adult, dark phase — Head and neck rufous-chestnut 

 glossed with vinaceous ; rest of the plmnage dark slaty ; decomposed 

 plumes from the interscapular region reaching beyond the tail ; iris 

 white, bill flesh-coloured, terminal two-thirds black ; legs blue-black. 

 Length 31 ; wing 13-5 ; tail 4-5 ; culmen 4-0 ; tarsus 6-0. 



In the white phase the plumage is white throughout with a slight 

 speckling of grey on the primaries. Young birds of either phase are 

 similar, but without the decomposed plumes. 



Distribution. — -Florida, the Gulf states, and Lower California south 

 to Guatemala and the West Indies ; a casual wanderer north to Illinois 

 and Colorado. 



There is a single example — a young bird of the dark phase — in the 

 Aiken collection, taken in 1875 near Colorado Springs. Another is 

 said by Cooke to have been shot by E. L. Berthoud near Golden in 

 about 1890. These are the only known occurrences in the State. 



Genus BUTORIDES. 



Small Herons with wings under 8-0 ; bill moderate, longer than the 

 tartiLS ; tail with twelve feathers ; an occipital crest of lengthened, 

 lanceolate, but not decomposed, feathers ; upper-parts glossy green. 



A wide-spread genus, found all over the New World, and most of 

 the Old except Europe and Northern Asia. Only one species in North 

 America. 



