j:i-A<'K (IKOWNKI) NICHT llKiinN. 

 Xyclicorax iivcticoi-ax uiunius. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Bill very stout and thick; imaxilla slightly curved; lull and 

 tarsus each about three inches long-; head and neck large, the 

 latter quite short; body short and heavy. 



AdtM.—-LenBth about twenty-flve inches; alar extent, about 

 forty-four; bill black, lores greenish-yellow; eyes, red, legs yel- 

 lowish; top of head and middle of back glossy-greenish black 

 (sometimes dull black with little or no greenish); a narrow 

 stripe on forehead reaching to eye; sides of head chin, head, 

 throat and under parts white, often tinged with a faint yel- 

 lowish or a very delicate light pui-ple color; wings and tail 

 ashy-blue; neck, except in front, similar but paler. The adults 

 frequently have three long ana white occipital feathers, which 

 when rolled together, appear as one thick round feather. 



Young. — Bill (dried skin) black and yellowish f iris light yel- 

 low; legs yellowish, upper part light brown, .spotted or 

 streaked with whitish; tail about same as adult; sides of head 

 and neck, and under plumage generally, striped with whitish 

 and dusky. A young bird l>efore me differs from the last 

 chiefly in having top of head and large spece between shoulders 

 dull brownish gray, without spots. 



Habitat. —America, from the British possessions southward 

 to the Falkland Islands, including part of the West Indi-es. 



Next to tlie Green Heron the Night Heron is iinquesi- 

 tionably the most abundant of the family in this Htate. 

 The adult birds are easily distinguished from C'ther 

 Herons by the black feathers on top of head and back, 

 red eyes, and rr(Mini'nily lliice loiio- wliite fcailiers, 

 which grow fidiii IIh- base of Uie lio;i(l. Tlic apiidla- 

 lion. Night Heron, is iiighly approl>riat(^ as tliis Itiid 

 is mainly nocturnal in its habits. During the day-linn^ 

 (lie Night Heron is iimclive. and generally is found 

 ]>(M-ched on a Ic'g or lln- liiiil) of a tree in a (piile mnik 

 about the swam](s and streams. .\s twiliglil a]) 

 proaches this drowsy wader becomes, as il wi-re, a new 

 being — impelled, no doubt, by the pangs of hunger — he 



