Scott on Birds observed i?i Florida. 21 



the nest, for only in one nest out of fifty just finished was a single 

 egg found. The specimens, as in the last case, were both males 

 and females: "Lores and base of bill, deep, dark bine with 

 no trace of orange or any shade of yellow. No yellow on bill 

 ox face at any point. The iris, in nine cases, deep bright red ; 

 in the other three, red. with a tinge of yellowish. Later in the 

 season, about April ist, some females show yellowish about the 

 bill and have yellow irides, but the males are still as above de- 

 scribed." * 



I found the Yellow-crowned Night Heron {Nyctiardea vio- 

 lacea) not uncommon at Clearwater, and also secured a series of 

 the species at Panasofkee Lake. Mr. Devereux found the Least 

 Bittern (Ardetta exilis) breeding very commonly at Clear- 

 water early in April. 



The most common small Tern noted on the Gulf Coast through- 

 out the winter was Forster's Tern ( Sterna forsteri) , and until ear- 

 ly spring all obtained were in the ' k /lavelli" stage. They were 

 abundant during my stay at the mouth of the Withlacoochee 

 River, and were noted daily at Clearwater, where early in Feb- 

 ruary I obtained individuals in full plumage. Mr. Devereux 

 obtained the Least Tern {Sterna s/iperciliaris) breeding very 

 commonly in May. 



All the Ducks noted by Mr. Allen were obtained, and, in ad- 

 dition, a single specimen of the Ring-necked Duck {Fitligitla 

 collaris) at Panasofkee Lake, where I noted the species on two 

 occasions. At the mouth of Withlacoochee River, in January, 

 I observed a single Buffle-headed Duck ( Clangnla albeola) , a 

 male in full plumage. 



* [These observations are of special interest as giving the first account of the color- 

 ation of the face and bill in this species in the breeding season based on Florida exam- 

 ples. Mr. C. B. Cory has observed the same conditions among the Louisiana Herons ' 

 met with by him at the Bahama Islands (see Birds of the Bahama Islands, 1880, pp. 

 168, 169, plate, and " Oologist," Vol. V, p. 79, Dec, 1880), and finding no account of 

 similar features in relation to this species as observed elsewhere has made this seasonal 

 phase of coloration in these parts the basis of a new species, named by him Ardea 

 cyanirostris. — J. A. ALLEN.] 



