194 BULLETIN 135^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



1917; Oklahoma, Copan, October 14, 1916; and Texas, Bonham, 

 September 20, 1889. 



Casuals. — Accidental in Colorado (Loveland, July 23, 1895) and 

 in Porto Rico (Fajardo, February 16, 1899). 



Egg dates. — Southern New England and New York: 58 records, 

 May 8 to June 25; 30 records, May 22 to June 1. New Jersey and 

 Pennsylvania: 25 records, April 30 to June 11; 13 records, May 20 

 to June 2. Georgia and Florida: 24 records, March 29 to July 9; 

 12 records, April 6 to May 10. Indiana and Illinois: 15 records, 

 May 12 to June 18; 8 records, May 19 to June 4. Louisiana and 

 Texas: 11 records, April 4 to June 28; 6 records, May 2 to 23. 



BUTORIDES VIRESCENS FRAZARI (Brewster) 

 FRAZAR GREEN HERON 



HABITS 



The green herons of the American species, Butorides virescens, have 

 been split by Dr. H. C. Oberholser (1912) and others into some 

 eighteen subspecies, only three of which come within the limits of 

 our check list. This form, which is restricted to central and south- 

 ern Lower California, was described by William Brewster (1888) and 

 named in honor of M. Abbott Frazar, who collected the type speci- 

 men. It is slightly larger than virescens and its general coloring is 

 darker, duller, and more uniform. "The deeper, more purplish 

 maroon of the neck with its decided glaucous tinge, is perhaps the 

 best character of the new form," according to the describer. Mr. 

 Brewester (1902a) does not tell us very much about its habits, in 

 which it probably does not differ much from its eastern relative. 

 He says that it " was discovered in 1887 by Mr. Frazar, who found 

 it only at La Paz. His notes state that it frequented mangrove 

 thickets about the shores of the bay, where it was common during 

 February and March, but as he mistook it for our eastern bird he 

 preserved only two specimens." 



Eggs. — The eggs of this subspecies are not distinguishable from 

 those of our common eastern bird. The measurements of 10 eggs 

 average 30.8 by 29.4 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes 

 measure 39 by 29.2, 37.5 by 30.5, 37 by 29.5, and 37.5 by 28.7 

 millimeters. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Lower California, from San Ignacio and Magdalena Bay 

 southward to La Paz, where it is resident. 



Egg dates. — Lower California: 10 records, May 11 to June 27; 5 

 records, May 24 to June 5. 



