132 HERONS AND BITTERNS. 



gray, darker tlian in A. herodias^ with a similar throat line of white, black, 

 and rufous. Under wing-coverts streaked with white ; rufous of edge of wing 

 less extensive than in A. herodias^ that of tibiae paler. Tibiae and soles of feet 

 yellow ; tarsi and top of toes yellowish green. Im. — Like young A. herodias; 

 top of head dusky, the feathers with w^iitish shaft lines and bases. Lesser 

 wing-coverts speckled with rusty, the under ones pure white" (Coues). "L., 

 4S-00-50-00; W., 20-00-21-00; B., 5-95-G-50; Tar., 7-y5-8-25" (Ridgw.). 



193. Ardea wardi Bidgiv. Ward's Heron. — This is the Florida rep- 

 resentative of A. herodias. It is believed by some ornithologists to be a dis- 

 tinct species, but in my opinion is a peninsular race. The average differences 

 in color between it and A. herodias consist in its whiter lower parts, darker 

 neck, and olive instead of black legs. These differences, however, can not 

 always be relied upon, and size is the character by which the two birds can 

 best be distinguished, wardi being the larger, as the following measurements 

 show: L., 52-00; W., 19-75-20-50; B., 6-40-G-80 ; Tar., 8-00-8-50. 



Range. — Florida, from Alachua County southward. 



Nest^ a platfoi-ra of sticks, in colonies, generally in cypress trees. Eggs.^ 

 three to four, pale, dull blue, 2"65 x 1-85. 



This is the Florida form of the preceding, which it resembles in 

 habits. It is more common than the Great Blue Heron, and is gener- 

 ally distributed throughout the peninsula from Gainesville southward. 



194. Ardea herodias Linn. Great Blue Heron; Blue Crane; 

 Sandhill Crane. Ad. in breeding plumage. — Center of the crown and throat 

 white, sides of the crown black, this color meeting on the back of the head, 

 where the feathers are lengthened to form an occipital crest: neck pale gray- 

 ish brown, a narrow black, white, and ochraceous line down the middle of 

 the foreneck ; feathers of the lower foreneek narrow and much lengthened, 

 whitish with sometimes black streaks; back, wing-coverts, and tail slaty 

 gray, the scapulars paler, narrow, and much lengthened ; bend of the wing 

 chestnut-rufous ; a patch of black and white feathers on the side of the 

 breast; breast and belly streaked with black and white and sometimes pale 

 rufous ; feathers on legs dull rufous, legs and feet black, upper mandible olive- 

 yellow, the culmen blackish; lower mandible yellow; lores blue. Im. — 

 Similar, but entire crown black, throat white, neck brownish gray washed 

 with buffy ochraceous ; no black at the sides of the breast or plumes on the 

 lower neck; under parts streaked with black, slaty, white, and ochraceous; 

 bend of wings and feathers on legs paler; back slaty grayish brown without 

 lengthened plumes. ,"L., 42-00-50-00 ; W., 17-90-10-85; B., 4-30-6-25 ; Tar., 

 G-00-8-00 " (Eidgw.). 



Range. — Northern South America northward to the arctic regions ; breeds 

 locally throughout most of its North American range and winters from the 

 Middle States southward. 



Washington, rather common, absent only in midwinter. Long Island, 

 common T. V., Apl. and May; Aug. to Dec. Sing Sing, common T. V.. Apl. 

 4 to Apl. 18; Aug. 16 to Oct. 6. Cambridge, common T. V., Apl. and May ; 

 Sept. to Nov. ; occasional in summer. 



