164 MANUAL OF rillLirriNE lUKDS. 



"AduU in breeding plumage. — General color above light ashy gray, 

 scapular plumes, parapteral feathers, and innermost secondaries elon- 

 gated and forming nan-ow drooping plumes of pearly gray or white; 

 the wing-coverts gray like back, the outer ones pearly gray or white, the 

 gi'eater series dark ashy, outer webs entirely white ; alula, primary-coverts, 

 and quills purplish black, secondaries shaded with gray externally, inner 

 secondaries like back; tail-feathers entirely gray; crown of head crested, 

 white in the center, with a broad band of purplish black on each side, 

 ending in a crest on occipiit, and having two elongated nuchal plumes; 

 entire sides of face, neck all round, and under surface of body white, with 

 a creamy lilac shade on each side of fore neck and chest, which have 

 drooping plumes of narrow, elongated, white feathers; the whole of the 

 lower throat and fore neck varied with elongated black stripes, differing 

 in breadth and situated on one side of the feather; on each side of the 

 crop is a large patch of drooping plumes of purplish black, and continued 

 along the sides of the body even as- far as the vent ; sides of body light 

 ashy gray ; thighs and under tail-coverts white ; under wing-coverts ashy 

 gray. 'Bill yellow, with the ridge of the upper mandible brown towards 

 the end ; feet dull green ; tibia yellow ; claws black ; iris yellow ; bare space 

 between the bill and the eye green.' {MacgiJlirra;/.) Length, 762; 

 culmen, 129; wing, 457; tail, 183; tarsus, 173. 



"Adult female. — Similar to the male and equally beautifully colored, 

 but the black crest-plumes not so long, and the black markings on the 

 chest not quite so pronounced. Length, about 762; culmen, 121; wing, 

 452; tail, 170; tarsus, 162. 



"Young. — Differs from the adult in l)eing darker and not so pure 

 gray ; head dark slate-color, with a small nuchal crest of purplish black, 

 neck rather lighter asliy; sides of face and ear-coverts also ashy gray; 

 cheeks and throat white; neck dark slaty gray, as also the sides of the 

 body, under wing-coverts, and axillars; lower throat, fore neck, and chest 

 very broadly streaked with black, the black very thickly developed on 

 throat, sparsely on fore neck, and represented by a few black streaks on 

 sides of body; on each side of chest the black patch of the adult is 

 represented by a dusky i^atcli of feathers, relieved by several broad white 

 streaks; on bend of wing a tinge of rust-color, which also pervades the 

 black-streaked feathers of throat and fore neck." (Sharpe.) 



"Rare. Xot met with by us on our second visit to the Islands." 

 (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 



The common heron is rare in the Philippines I)ut may I)e recognized 

 by the pale gray head and neck, set off by the black crest, line on side of 

 head, and broken line on throat. A very much (huuaged specimen in 

 the Bureau of Science collection has unfortunately no data as to its source 

 but it was probably killed in Luzon. 



