662 



U. S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



the angle of the same ; both culmen and gonys quite convex towards the end. Legs lengthened ; 

 the tibia bare for about half its length ; the middle toe short, about three-fifths the tarsus ; the 

 outer lateral toe about one-half. The middle anterior claw short, stout, and blunt ; the pectination 

 reduced to a few obsolete notches. Occiput with a crest of long lanceolate firm feathers, shorter 

 than the bill, and similar shaped ones on the whole neck, much elongated on the lower part of 

 the throat ; the pennules lax and free only at the base of the feathers. Back with long fastigiate, 

 nearly straight, plumes, with the fibrillae elongated and distant^ reaching the length of the 

 tail beyond it. 



Color pure white. Bill flesh-colored, the terminal half abruptly black. Legs black in the 

 dried specimen ; said to be dark olive green in life ; the soles greenish yellow. 



List of specimens, 



DEMIEGKETTA RUFA, Baird. 



Reddish Egret. 



Jlrdeai-ufa, Eoddaert, Tabl. PI. F.nl. 1784. 



ArUea rufescens, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 628. — Latham, Ind. Orii. 11, 1790, G94.— Wagler, Syst. Av. 1827 ; 

 JrdeaNo. 13.— Ann. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 411 : V, C04 ; pi. 236.— Ib. Syn. 1839.- 1b. Birds 

 Amer. VI, 1843, 139; pi. 371. 

 Egretla rufescens, Bonap. List, 1838. 



Herodias rufescens, Bonap. Conspectus, II, 1855, 125. — Gundlacii, Caban. Jour. IV, 1856,341. 

 .ligrette rousse, Buffon, Ois. VIII, 378.— PI. Enl. 902. 

 Reddish Egret, Pennant, II, 447. 

 Sp. Ch. — Body grayish blue ; paler beneath. Head and neek all round uniform reddish brown, or rufous chestnut, without 

 white on tlic throat. Bill black on the terminal third, \oung similar, but duller. Length, about 30 inclies ; wing, 12.50 ; 

 tarsus, 5.72 ; bill above, 3.50. 



flab. — Coast of South Florida and GuK of Mexico to mouth of Rio Grande. Cuba, Guudlach. 



Middle toe about two-fifths the tarsus ; outer lateral toe more than half the tarsus ; inner, 

 about half this length. Tibia bare for about one-half. Pectinations quite distinct. Bill com- 

 pressed ; the outlines excavated, but becoming considerably convex at the tip. General external 

 form that of H. ijealeii. 



" Bill black on its terminal third ; the rest, and the bare space on the head, pale flesh color. 

 Iria white. Legs and feet ultramarine blue ; the scutellae brownish black, as are the claws. 

 Feathers of the head and neck all round light reddish brown, tinged with lilac, the tips fading 

 into brownish white. BacJc and wings dull grayish blue, the long feathers of the train yellowish 

 towards the tips ; all the lower parts grayish blue, j>alcr than that of the upjier." — Audubon. 



"Without an adult of this species before me, I copy the description of its colors from Mr. 

 Audubon. A young bird liiis the plumage generally plumbeous gray ; the coverts, the throat, 

 and the head tinged with reddish ; the back slightly glossed with the same. There is only a 

 rudimentary occipital crest, and ikj dorsal one whatever. The diflerences in color from the adult 



