436 NYCTICORAX GARDENI. 



the usual pale greenish-blue colour. It occurs so seldom in 

 this country, that opportunities of observing its habits are 

 not to be expected by the ornithologist; and thus I have 

 nothing to add to the above particulars, derived from other 

 sources of information than those to which I usually have 

 recourse. A few specimens have been obtained in Scotland, 

 and in England it is not much more numerous. Mr. Thomp- 

 son records two instances of its having been obtained in 

 Ireland. It is rare even in Holland, but becomes of more 

 frequent occurrence as we advance southward. Its distri- 

 bution is very extensive, it being common in many parts of 

 India and its islands. I have compared with ours the 

 American bird said by some to be of the same species, but 

 by others to be distinct, and could observe no appreciable 

 differences ; but not having specimens at hand, I am unable 

 to speak with certainty on the subject. 



Young. — The young bird, when its plumage is com- 

 pleted, differs so much from the adult, that the older writers 

 considered it as a distinct species. The bill is yellowish- 

 green, with the ridge and tip of the upper mandible and the 

 terminal portion of the lower black ; the loral space yellowish- 

 green ; the iris brown ; the feet dull greenish-yellow. The 

 feathers are shorter and of looser texture, and the long 

 occipital plumes have not appeared. The upper parts are 

 greyish-brown, all the feathers, excepting those on the hind 

 part of the back, having an oblong or triangular medial and 

 terminal spot of pale yellowish-red; the wings and tail 

 bluish-grey, with a tinge of brown ; the wing-coverts and 

 secondary quills with a white triangular spot at the end. 

 The throat and the lower parts are white, tinged with 

 greyish-brown, and longitudinally streaked with dusky. In 

 this state it is the Gardenian Heron of authors. 



Progress toward Maturity. — After the second moult 

 the bill is darker, the iris lighter ; the streaks on the neck 

 less numerous ; the lower parts more white, with the sides 

 pearl-grey ; the upper parts of a greyer tint, with the spots 

 on the Avings smaller ; the head tinged with brown, and the 



