382 PATAGONIAN EXPEDITIONS : ZOOLOGY. 



region about the eye is yellow and the color of the entire bill is not clear 

 as during the nuptial period. 



hmnatitre birds. — Much like the adults in winter, but the texture of the 

 feathers is more fluffy, downy and softer. The bill is blackish at the end. 



Geographical Range. — America. Temperate North America, the British 

 Provinces and Oregon (it being of casual occurrence so far north) and 

 resident in the South Atlantic and Gulf States. 



Thence southward through tropical and South America it is resident as 

 far south at least as Argentina and Chili and of frequent occurrence (as a 

 nomadic migrant) in Patagonia. 



The American Egret was not obtained by the naturalists of the Prince- 

 ton Expeditions. Two individuals from La Plata and the large series in 

 the Princeton University Museum as well as the material in the British 

 Museum, have been utilized in making the diagnoses here given. 



This is an abundant bird locally in most parts of Patagonia during the 

 warmer portions of the year ; in the southern portion of the region the 

 birds are migratory, but on the Rio Negro and in the northern part of 

 Patagonia they appear to be present throughout the year. 



These herons breed in communities of varying size, from a few pairs to 

 many thousand birds, and are often associated with other closely allied 

 birds of their own family, as well as with ibises and spoonbills. The 

 rookeries are in low, densely wooded thickets of willow, and similar 

 growths, on or close to water, fresh or brackish seemingly preferred. 

 Several nests are frequently placed in the same tree or bush and it seems 

 probable that communal care of the young prevails, that is, after the birds 

 are hatched and especially as soon as the fledglings begin to climb about 

 in the trees and bushes, which they do long before they are able to fly. 



Genus FLORIDA Baird. 



Type. 



Florida, Baird, Survey for Pacific R. R. Vol. IX. part II. p. 

 671 (1858); Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus. XXVI. p. 100 

 (1898); id. Hand-List I. p. 195 (1899) . . . . F. ccerulea. 



Glaticeroditts, Heine and Reichenow Nomencl. Mus. Hein. 



p. 307 (1890) F. ccsrulea. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tropical America. Extending to northern 

 South America, and casually to Patagonia. The West Indies. Warmer 



