256 



KJiY TO THE ^^'ATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



Subgenus FLORIDA Baird. 



ARDEA CCERULEA //////. 

 Little Blue Heron. 



(Adult.) 



Aditlt : Head and neck purplish red or maroon, rest of plumage grayish l)lue : ])iil black at 

 the end ; basal portion and loral space blue ; legs and feet black. 



Immature birds are pure white, except a faint wash of grayish blue near the tip of the pri- 

 maries; leg's olive or yellowtsh and'the l^asal half of the bill greenish. 



This species is sometimes confounded with the Snowy Egret, but may easily be distinguished 

 from that species by the slight wash of blue on the ends of the primaries and by the color of 

 the legs and bill. 



Length about 2\: Wing, ii : Tarsus, ^.60. 



.^^^>. 



\ 



(Immature.) 



