THE LITTLE BLUE HERON. 473 



long as in preceding species, recurved at tip; lengthened, decomposed, jugular 

 plumes distinctive. 



Nest, of sticks, a mere platform in bushes over or near water. Eggs, 3-5, 

 dull, pale blue. Av. size, 1.74 x 1.30 (44.2 x 33.). 



General Range. Temperate and tropical America from Long Island and 

 Oregon south to Argentine Republic and Chili, casually to Nova Scotia and 

 Southern British Columbia. 



Range in Ohio. Rare and irregular summer visitor. 



LIKE the preceding species this beautiful Egret is only a summer visitor 

 from the South. It may once have bred in the southern part of this state, 

 as it still does in greatly diminished numbers along the Wabash River, and 

 throughout southern Illinois. 



It has also enjoyed (?) a more nearly universal distribution through 

 the medium of women's head-gear, but those who wear aigrettes do so un- 

 lawfully since the traffic in the plumage of these birds is expressly forbidden 

 by both state and federal statutes. 



No. 213. 



LITTLE BLUE HERON. 



A. O. U. No. 200. Florida caerulea (Linn.). 



Description. Adult : Head and neck dark purplish red; remaining plumage 

 slaty blue, sometimes blackening on upper back and below; an occipital crest of 

 decomposed feathers, but containing several, lengthened, compact, webbed feath- 

 ers; jugular patches of somewhat elongated feathers, with irregularly subdivided 

 webs ; scapular and interscapular region with feathers somewhat decomposed, the 

 central ones elongated, compact webbed, and reaching two to four inches beyond 

 the tall ; bill and feet black. Immature : Quite different ; entire plumage pure 

 white, except tips of longer primaries, which show traces of slaty blue ; no special 

 modification of feathers ; basal half of lower mandible yellow ; lores, legs and 

 feet greenish yellow. The young gradually acquire adult characteristics, and 

 every intermediate stage is found. The encroaching blue usually appears on the 

 crown, and the elongated feathers are usually acquired before the blue proceeds 

 further, giving rise to the old belief that the species was dichromatic, i. e., that 

 the adult was blue or white. Length about 23.00 (584.2) ; wing 9.50-11.00 

 (241.3-279.4); tail 4.00 (TOi.6); bill about 3.00 (76.2); tarsus 3.60 (91.4); 

 middle toe and claw about 2.90 (73.7). 



Recognition Marks. Brant size ; dark, slaty blue plumage with purplish- 

 red head and neck of adult; young, white, but with slaty-blue tips to primaries, 

 and without "aigrette" train of A. candidissima. 



Nest, a platform of sticks in bushes near or over water. Eggs, 3 or 4, pale 

 blue. Av. size, 1.72 x 1.29 (43.7 x 32.8). 



