Specimens are sometimes nearly pure white beneath. 
BIRDS—-ARDEIDAE—NYCTHERODIUS VIOLACEUS. 
679 
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 the 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. 
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. 
Still younger specimens have all the 
(Bonaparte. ) 
Catal. | Sex and Locality. When col- Whence obtained. Orig.| Collected by— Crenetnt Stretch | Wing. Remarks. 
No. | age. lected. No. of wings. 
1670 |.... 000+ PHIMAEIphin oeree ssc cec|ostteteeee oe 
4270 | © | Calcasieu Pass, La.......| 1854......66+ 
4269 |eeeeccerlrccees Ov cis scicrane socicaicees 1854.0 cccseee 
4150 ,»..-| Brownsville, Texas...... April 27, 1853 PH 
4151 Oe anodo COreissse csecissecieess| ADI Jol oc : A 2.51 
4149 3 Pesquieria Grande,N.Leon| May, 1858....| Lieut. Couch ...... esseeeleeereereceeceeeees 33.25 | 42.50 | 12.75 Eye crimson; bill 
blue and yellow. 
A TAR MMOs Olean Uaasas dOssi Seasasis <sisiseeaas!| as sas MO siee ven lincace GOs sive ssesinjes|encens 
5113! |sese cee ecccee| Capt. POpe veseccee|sccces 
9889 | O .| Lieut. Ives,....... 
9888 Q Dr. Hammond..... .....+ 
5564| | Petaluma, Cal........004 June 18,1856] E. Samuels ......6 
NYCTHERODIUS, Reich. 
Nyctherodius, ReicHens. Naturl. Syst. Vogel, in Systema Avium, 1853, p. xvi. 
Nycticorax, Bors, Isis, 1826. Not of Stephens and Moehring. 
Type Ardea violacea, L. 
Cu.—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. 
NYCTHERODIUS VIOLACEUS, Reich. 
Yellow-crowned Night Heron. 
Ardea violacea, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 238.—Gmev. I, 631.—Laru. Ind. I, 690.—Wison, Am. Orn. VII, 
1814, 26 ; pl. Ixv.—Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 196.—Avup. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 290; pl. 336.—Is. 
Syn. 262.—Is. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 89; pl. 364. 
Ardea (Botaurus) violacea, Bonar. Specchio, 1827, No. 177.—Nurr. Man. II, 1834, 52. 
Nyctiurdea violacea, Swainson, Birds, II, 1837, 354. 
Nycticorax violaceus, Bonar. 
Niyctherodius violaceus, Rercuens. Syst. Av. 1853, p. xvi.—Bonap. Conspectus, II, 1855, 142—Gunptacn, Cab. 
Jour. 1V, 1856, 346. 
Ardea jamaicensis, GMELIN, I, 1788, 625. 
Ardea cayanensis, GMELIN, I, 1788, 626. 
“ Ardea sexsetacea, ViEiLu. Dict.’ 
** Ardea callocephala, WAGLER.”’ 
Yellow-crowned heron, PENNANT. 
Cu.—Neck and body uniform grayish plumbeous ; the head bluish black ; the hood and a broad patch on the side of the 
head yellowish white. Interscapular and scapular feathers dusky, edged with grayish plumbeous. Length, 24.00; wing, 12.00; 
tarsus, 3.70; bill above, 2.78. Hab.—South Atlantic and Gulf States ; South America. 
