BIRDS ARDEIDAE — NYCTnERODIUS VIOLACEUS. 



679 



Specimens are sometimes nearly pure white beneath. In two from California the green 

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

 plume, instead of tlie hinder ones being inserted in line with this. The black tips to these 

 plumes, mentioned by Bonaparte, I have never seen. 



An immature bird differs in having the green of the back and head replaced by dull 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, the bill 

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

 (Bonaparte.) 



NYCTHERODIUS, Reich. 



J^'yctherodius, Reichenb. Naturl. Syst. Vogel, in Systema Avium, 1853, p. xvi. Type .Irdea violaceu, L. 



J^ycticorax, BoiE, Isis, 1826. Not of Stephens and Moehring. 

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

 the scales, except 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. 



Yellow-crowned Night Herou. 



Ardea violacea, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 238.— Gmel. I, 631.— Lath. Ind. II, 690.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 

 1814,26 ; pi. Ixv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 196.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 290 ; pi. 336.— Ib. 

 Syn. 262.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 89 ; pi. 364. 

 Jlrdea (Bolaurus) violacea, Bonap. Specchio, 1897, No. 177. — Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 52. 

 J\yctiurdea violacea, Swainson, Birds, II, 1837, 354. 

 A'ycticorax violaceus, Bonap. 

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



Jour. IV, 1856, 346. 

 Jlrdea jamaicensis, Gmelin, I, 1788, 625. 

 •irdea cayarxensis, Gmelin, I, 1788, 626. 

 " Ardea sexselacea, Vieill. Diet." 

 ".irdea callocephala, Wagler." 

 Yellow-crowned heron, Pennant. 

 Ch.— Neck and body uniform grayisli plumbeous ; the head bluish black ; the hood and a broad patch on llie side of the 

 head yellowish white. Interscapular and scapular feathers dusky, edged with grayish plumbeous. Length, §4.00 ; wing, 12.00; 

 tarsus, 3.70 ; bill above, 2.78. Hai.— South Allantic and Gulf States ; South America. 



