180 Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



Florida caridea ccsrulescens Bangs & Zappey, Am. Nat., XXXIX, 1905, 187 

 (Guanabana, the Cienaga, and seacoast, common). — Read, Oologist, XXVIII, 

 1911, II, and XXX, 1913, 132 (I. of Pines). — Read, Bird-Lore, XIII, 1911, 44 

 (McKinley). — Read, I. of Pines News, VI, Dec. 27, 1913 (I. of Pines; descr.). 



Eleven specimens: Los Indies and Majagua River. 



The series comprises seven white and four blue birds, but only one 

 of the latter is without any scattering white feathers. These blue 

 individuals, together with another from Porto Rico, are quite indis- 

 tinguishable from Florida examples, so far as I can see. Mr. Riley 

 {Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Quarterly Issue, XLVII, 

 1904, 279) has adopted the name ccerulescens of Latham, based on 

 birds from Cayenne, as the subspecific appellation of the Little Blue 

 Herons of the Greater and Lesser Antilles and of Central and South 

 America, alleging that they are much darker than those of Florida 

 and farther north. I have not seen any Cayenne examples, but can 

 find no characters to distinguish Colombian birds, while the series of 

 Florida specimens studied certainly shows a considerable degree of 

 individual variation in depth of coloration. But as such variation in 

 the West Indian birds is fully as great, there is no reason for thinking 

 that it has any geographical significance. 



All observers agree that the Little Blue Heron is the commonest 

 species of its tribe in the island, both on the coast, cays, and in the 

 inland districts, wherever there is water. It is particularly numerous 

 in the Cienaga, however, and is also partial to the brackish lagoons 

 along the coast. According to Mr. Link's experience, the blue and 

 white phases are about equally common at all seasons. He found 

 several nests in process of construction early in May, all in the man- 

 groves along the Los Indios River. Except in the breeding-season, 

 the species was frequently observed in small parties, wading about on 

 the edges of lagoons, the margins of rivers, and the open marshes. 

 Not being persecuted as are some of the other herons, it is as a rule 

 not nearly so shy. 



16. Egretta thula thula (Molina). Snowy Egret. 



Leiicophoyx candidissima Bangs & Zappey, Am. Nat., XXXIX, 1905, 187 (Jucaro 



and the Cienaga). 

 "Snowy Heron" Read, Forest and Stream, LXXIII, 1909, 452 (I. of Pines). — 



Read, Oologist, XXVI, 1909, 58, and XXX, 1913. 130 (I. of Pines); XXVIII, 



1911, 6 (Nuevas River), 113 (West McKinley); XXX, 1913, 125, 127 (Santa 



Barbara), 164 (Santa Barbara to Nueva Gerona). 

 Herodias candidissima Read, Oologist, XXVIII, 1911, 11 (I. of Pines). 



