BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. 



SQUAWK. QUA BIRD. 

 Nycticorax NYCTICORAX N^VIUS. 



Char. Top of head and back greenish black ; forehead, sides of head, 

 and throat white ; wings and sides of neck bluish gray ; no plumes except- 

 ing two long narrow white feathers at back of head ; lower parts white 

 tinged with pale creamy yellow. Young : above, grayish brown ; beneath, 

 dull white, streaked with brownish. Body stout ; bill thick and black ; 

 legs short and yellow. Length 23 to 26 inches. 



Nest. In a community situated near the bank of a stream ; placed on 

 an upper branch of a tall tree, — sometimes placed on the ground in a 

 swamp ; a simple platform of dry twigs. 



Eggs. 4-6; pale green tinged with blue ; 2.00 X 1.50. 



The Great Night Heron of America extends its migrations 

 probably to the northern and eastern extremities of the United 



