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with the fore part of the head and crown white, tinged with yel- 

 low; occipital plumes white; the feathers on the upper part of the 

 head rather long, and pointed ; a band of white under the eye ex- 

 tending backwards ; rest part of the head and the throat greenish- 

 black ; fore part of back, tertials, scapulars, and wing coverts, 

 with broad central black streaks, margined with bluish-white ; 

 quills and tail feathers dark grayish-blue, margined with bluish- 

 white ; general color of the plumage light grayish-blue. Length 

 twenty-two inches, wing eleven and a half. Young with the upper 

 parts dark grayish-white ; lower dull yellowish-white, streaked 

 with dusky. 



The Yellow-crowned Heron seldom extends its visits to Long 

 Island, being principally confined to the Southern States. In its 

 habits it is chiefly nocturnal, keeping in the marshes during day, 

 and feeding mostly at night. In the neighborhhod of Charleston, 

 S. C, a few breed. Mr. Bell found this species, the White Egret, 

 Blue, and Louisiana Heron, breeding in society. According to 

 Catesby, it is quite common in the Bahama Islands, where it is 

 said to feed principally on small crabs, and its flesh is highly es- 

 teemed. 



ARDEA LUDOVICIANA— WILS. 



LOUISIANA HERON. 



Louisiana Heron, Ardea ludoviciana, Wils. Amer Orn. 



Ardea ludoviciana, Bonap. Syn. 



Louisiana Heron, Nutt. Man. 



Louisiana Heron, Ardea ludoviciana, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Bill rather slender, at base yellowish-green, 

 toward the point brownish-black ; length from the corner of the 

 mouth to the end, four inches and an eighth ; length of tarsi three 

 inches and eleven-sixteenths ; upper parts, and neck all round, 

 blue, tinged with purple ; lower parts and the under lining of the 

 wings, and the throat white ; a broad line intermixed with reddish 

 brown, blue, and white, extends the entire length of the fore neck, 

 the feathers on the head and neck, long, tapering; occipital 

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