BIRDS ARDEIDAE — NTCTHERODIUS VI0LACKU8. 



679 



Specimens are sometimes nearly pure wliite beneath. In two from Calilbrnia the green 

 feathers of the occiput extend further back on the nape, behind the insertion of the long white 

 plume, instead of the hinder ones being inserted in line with this. 'Die black tips to these 

 plumes, mentioned by Bonaparte, I have nerer seen. 



An immature bird diflers in having the green of the back and head replaced by dnll chocolate 

 brown ; the coverts with spots of whitish ; the neck and under parts streaked with dusky. The 

 quills have a chocolate red tinge, tipped with whitish. Still younger specimens have all the 

 feathers above with terminal spots of whitish. 



The American night heron is similar to the European N. grisea, but is larger, tlie bill 

 stouter. The young birclB have the quills with an apical wliite spot, not found in the European. 

 (Bonaparte.) 



NYCTHERODIUS, Reich. 



\\jcthendi\is, Reichenb. Nalurl. Syst. Vogel, in Systeina Avium, 1853, p. xvi. Type ..irdea violacea, L. 



J^'ijclicorax, BoiE, Isis, 1826. Not of Stephens and Mochring. 

 Cli. — Bill very thick and stout, loth outlines much and about equally curved ; commissure nearly straight. Tarsi moderate ; 

 the scales, cicept anteriorly above, strongly hexagonal ; middle toe considerably shorter than tarsus ; outer lateral rather the 

 longer ; claws small, obtuse, much curved. Tail of twelve broad feathers. Head with the occipital feathers elongated ; a few 

 much longer. Scapulars and interscapulars lanceolate, the latter reaching to end of tail. 



NYCTHEKODIUS VIOLACEUS, Reich. 



Vellow-crowued Night Herou. 



Jlrdea vietacea, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 238.— Gmei.. I, 631.— Lath. Ind. II, 690.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 

 1814,26 ; pi. Ixv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 196.- Acd. Orn. Hiog. IV, 1838, 290 ; pi. 336.— Is. 

 Syn. 262.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 69 ; pi. 364. 



^rdco (Bolaurus) violacea, Bonap. Specchio, 1857, No. 177. — Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 52. 



A'yctiurdea violacea, Swainson, Birds, II, 1837, 354. 



J^ycticorax violacetis, Bonaf. 



Xyctherodius violaceus , Reichenb. Syst. Av. 1853, p. xvi. — Bonap. Conspectus, II, 1855, 142.— GtjNnLACii, Cab. 

 Jour. IV, 1856, 346. 



^rdea jamaicensis, Gmelin, I, 1788, 625. 



^rdttt cayanensis, G.melin, I, 1783, 626. 



" Jlrdea sexsetacea, Vieill. Diet." 



" ^rJea callocephala, Wacler." 



Yelloic-crowiud heron, Pennant. 

 Ch. — Neck and body uniform grayish plumbeous ; the head bluish black ; the l)ood and a broad patch on the side of the 

 head yellowish white. Interscapular and scapular feathers dusky, edged with grayish plumbeous. Length, 24.00 ; wing, 12.00; 

 tarsus, 3.70 ; bill above, 2.78. Hab. — South Atlantic and Gulf States ; South America. 



