258 XKW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Field marks. This species may be distinguished from the white phase 

 of the Little blue heron by having the wings entirely white and the legs 

 black; and from the Large white egret by its smaller size. 



Distribution. The range of this species coincides closely with that 

 of the American egret. According to Giraud it was formerly not uncommon 

 on Long Island from "late in the spring till the last of September." In early 

 days it undoubtedly bred in the Long Island swamps, and as late as May 

 30th, 1885, Mr Dutcher saw three specimens on Great South beach which 

 were evidently trying to nest [see Auk, 3: 435]. During the summers of 

 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884 and 1885 small companies of these birds numbering 

 from three to seven were observed on different occasions along the south 

 coast of the island, but since that time it is rare or only an occasional visitor 

 [see Dutcher, Auk, i: 32]. Dr Braislin in Auk, volume 17, page 169, men- 

 tions a flock of six or seven observed at East Rockaway in August 1899. 

 Mr Hendrickson in Dutcher's Long Island Notes reports one from Queens 

 county. May 16, 1889. Specimens from the interior have been reported 

 from Buffalo, in Dr Bergtold's List, page 6, from Sing Sing by Dr Fisher, 

 from Lake Ontario, 1889, by Chapman, Forest and Stream, volume 33, 

 page 497, and from Saratoga county, summer of 1893, by Messrs Brower 

 and IngersoU of Ballston Spa. 



Hydranassa tricolor ruficoUis (Gosse) 



Louisiana Heron 



Egretta ruficollis Gosse. Jamaica. 1847. 33^ 



Ardea ludoviciana DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 223 



Ardea tricolor ruficollis A. 0. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 199 



hydranas'sa, Gr. vScop, water, and avao-o-a, queen; tri' color, Lat., three- 

 colored; ruficol'lis, rufous-necked 



Description. Adult: Bill very slender; feathers of head and neck 

 elongated and pointed; upper parts slaty blue; back of head and most of 

 neck deepening to purplish maroon ; the longer feathers of crest white ; upper 

 throat, rump and under parts mostly white; jugular plumes purplish and 

 ])lumbeous; a scapular train of fringelike plumes sweeping beyond the tail, 

 "light drab" in color; legs dusky in front and yellowish behind; bill black 



