AUDKID.*: - THE HERONS - A IIDEA. 7 



6. lihwphm (= ''U'iinkmauiii" ]\.\uw). 



Adult: Entire hcml, inclmliiiK occiintal .n-st, imiv white ; tiic 1. ivhcad strwikf.l with Muck (the 

 r.iitlu'M i'ilj,'c(l witli l.hu'k, tiu- median M\\\h' luin^' wliiie). Al«l.>nifn and crissiini \>\\\i' white, tlu- 

 runner Hparsely Htreaked with l.laek (these stieal:^ on the inner e.l-e III' llie feathers, and broader 

 anteriorly) ; crissiini iniinacuhite. Neek deeii viohiceoii.'^-diah (dnrker and more viohiceoua than in 

 .1. Ii.roiliiu anil endin;,' ahnost aljuiplly a^jainst the wl if the h-aii) ; tlie throat with a narrow 

 series' of l)hiek and riifons danlie.s on a white ),'ronnd ; i>Iunies of llie hiwer neek white, most of them 

 edh'L'd witii black, bnt tbu lunyer without ^jrayish tin;{u. Lateral jugular tufts blue-black, witli 





Southern 



wide median stripes of pure white. Upper parts exactly a** in A. herodias, except that the lower 

 win^j-coverts have conspicuous median streaks of white, wliile the edj,'e of the winj,' from the carpus 

 back is irhiti; tinj,'ed with rufous, instead of irhollij rufous. Tibial feathers paler rufous than in 

 A. herodias, j,'ro\vin)^ almost white next the body on the inner side. Naked tiliiro yrUow ; niuler 

 side of toes i/(7/()i(' ; rest of lej^s ; id feet wlhu-ish-oliiv, Youuy : Similar to youn^' i>( A. herodias, 

 but lesser winj,'-coverts widely tipped witli lirij,'hl I'erruj^inous, producin;,' thereby a conspicuous 

 spottin;,' of this color ; all the lower wing-coveils, larj,'u and small, witii a lftr},'e, terminal, wedge- 

 shapeil >ipot of white. Forehead and crown dusky slate-color, most of the feathers with whitish 

 shafts; occipital ]il(inies all whitisli at tiie base, only the ends bein;,' dusky. 



Win},', 21.(M); tail, 8.00; culmen, (!.-4o ; depth of bill (throU',']! middle of nostrils), 1.15; naked 

 portion of tibia, 5.50; tarsus, 8.(K); middle toe, 4.80. [Type, No. 8G90, South Florida.] 



The specimen described above as the youuf,' of .1. " If "iirdcnuuini" is a very younj; bird, with the 

 downy tilametits still adherinj,' to the tips of all the feathers of the crown, and with the remiges 

 only half grown out. It is much larger than any .specimens of ,1. herodias of corresponding age, 

 the culmen measuring 5.15, the tibia 5.00, the tarsus 7.80, and the middle toe -1.(50. The ])lumage 

 is even more different : In the young of A. herodias, the dusky of the crown includes the entire 

 ujiper half of the head, the occiput being wholly blackish and the cheeks slaty ; in the specimen 

 under consideration the cheeks are entirely white, like the throat, and the occipital feathers white, 

 tipped with dusky, thus restricting the continuous dusky to the forehead and crown. The con- 

 spicuous white spots ou the wing-coverts agree with the similar but smaller markings seen in the 

 adult of A. " U'iirdemanni," but wanting in all ages and stages of A. herodias. 



The identity of Ardea Wilrdeminni, I'aird, with A, occidentalis, AfDUBON, although not proven, 

 is inferred from a number of circumstances and coincidences iu the history of each, which, together 



wing from flexure, 19 ; tail, 7 ; bill along the back, ej ; along the edges, 82 ; bare part of tibia, 6 ; tarsus, 

 8i ; middle toe, 418 ; its claw, IS. Weight, 94 lbs." 



?: *' Length to end of tail, 50 ; to end of wings, 50 ; to end of claws, 65 ; extent of wings, 75 ; wing 

 from flexure, 182 ; tail, 6} ; bill along the back, 518 ; along the edges, 72 ; its depth at base, 1ft ; tarsus, 

 7i ; middle toe, 4i ; its claw, A. Weight, 7i lbs." — Aun. 



