FAMILY ARDEIDAE 9I 



bation was far advanced. March 28, 1946, I shot a male at Jaque, 

 Darien, in full breeding plumage, and March 6, 1955, I watched 

 a pair in mating display at the mouth of the Rio Chico, which would 

 indicate nesting in those areas. 



There is no definite indication that migrants of the subspecies 

 Egretta t. brewsteri from western United States, reach Panama dur- 

 ing the winter season. This differs from the typical form in slightly 

 larger size. The specimens I have handled all belong to the typical 

 subspecies. 



The genus Leucophoyx in which this species has been placed in 

 earlier accounts is not now recognized as distinct from Egretta. 



FLORIDA CAERULEA (Linnaeus): Little Blue Heron; Garceta Azul (adults), 

 Garceta Blanca (immature birds) 



Ardea caerulea Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 10, vol. 1, 17S8, p. 143. (South 

 Carolina.) 



A heron of medium size ; adult, dark bluish slate ; immature, 

 white, sometimes with a mixture of dark gray ; bill and legs greenish, 

 which distinguishes them from the snowy egret of similar size. 



Description. — Length 510 to 635 mm. Adult, with a reddish-brown 

 wash on head, neck, and upper breast. 



Immature, with concealed gray tips on the ends of the primaries. 



Measurements. — Males (18 from southeastern United States), 

 wing 255-268 (261), tail 89.3-99.8 (95.7), culmen from base 71.1- 

 82.2 (75.9), tarsus 90.7-102.9 (96.2) mm. 



Females (12 from southeastern United States), wing 242-259 

 (250), tail 84.3-95.2 (91.1), culmen from base 65.4-77.2 (72.4, aver- 

 age of 11), tarsus 80.0-95.7 (88.1) mm. 



Common in the lowlands ; ranging inland along streams, and, in 

 flooded areas, in open country ; at times in dry savannas and pas- 

 tures ; wandering regularly to 1 ,400 meters or higher in the sub- 

 tropical zone. Recorded on Isla Coiba and throughout the islands in 

 the Gulf of Panama. 



This heron is most common through the period of northern winter, 

 with abrupt decrease in number in March, so that it is present in 

 lesser abundance from April to October. To date there are no nesting 

 records, and most of the summer individuals seen are in the white 

 immature dress. In fact, birds in this plumage predominate in num- 

 ber throughout the year. There are records of 6 banded in Oklahoma, 

 Mississippi and Florida, and taken subsequently in Panama, all at 

 Pacific localities near Pedregal, Puerto Aguadulce, Panama City, and 



