PURPLE HERON. 131 



much greater than in the last, the centre toe, with 

 its claw, being nearly equal to the tarsus in length. 

 The claws are much more lengthened, slender, and 

 less bent. The bill is nearly pure gamboge-yellow, 

 shading from brown upon the ridge and extremity 

 of the mandible. 



In a specimen which we received as a female, 

 and in which the elongated feathers of both the 

 breast and lower part of the neck were marked 

 as in the last described, the upper plumage has a 

 brown tint spread over, the occipital crest is short, 

 and the stripes of black on the neck are only 

 slightly indicated. The purplish-brown on the 

 sides of the breast is not so deep, and none of the 

 colours are so vivid or well denned. 



In an immature bird, brown is the prevailing- 

 colour, the upper plumes being all broadly edged 

 with it. The crown and occiput chestnut, without 

 a crest, and the sides and fore part of the neck 

 yellowish-white, marked on both with lengthened 

 dashes of brownish-black ; no elongated feathers 

 either there or upon the back. 



