ARDEIDvE — THE UERONS — ARDEA. 



15 



. — Baikh, 

 Jheck List, 

 111. B, 1881, 



3 Iludsoii's 

 s ; Beriiiii- 



ids. Foiv- 

 ,he occiiml, 

 ite. NiMk 

 leck with a 

 iliunos iiiilc 

 almost uiii- 



n white, the 

 g conspicu- 

 uines puhr, 

 reiuij,'c'S 

 are scarcely 

 re border nf 

 rcely mixid 

 u blackish ; 

 ,'ht yelluw ; 

 Legs (did 

 destitute <if 

 1)118 ; border 

 r the bend, 

 i-slrtte, witli 

 haft-strcaUs. 

 gray, soiiic- 

 s ; foreiicik 

 the adult. 

 ual anioiiiit 



(sometimes suffused with rufous). Tibia; very pale nifous, sometimes almost white ; crissum 

 white. Upper mandibln black, paler, or hoiu-color, along the toiiiium ; lower, pale pea-greeii, 

 deepening into clear horn-yellow on terminal half; eyelids antl horizontal space on lore light 

 ai>]>le-^;reen ; iris gamboge-yellow ; tibiie and soles of toes, apple-green ; rest of legs and feet 

 blaek.i 



Wing, 17.!)()-2().0() ; tail, 7.3()-8.(W ; culmen, 4.3(Mi.(H) ; depth of bill, through mi.ldle of 

 nostril, 0.85-1.10; naked portion of tibia, ;3.,^)0-5.(Kt ; tar.sus, (i.00-8.(K) ; middle toe, 3.50-4.50, 

 [I'].\lrenies of 17 adult speiiniens.] 



(!i:()(iKAi'Hit'.vi. ASi) IxiJiviurAi, Variations. So far as is indicated by the rather scant 

 material before me (17 adult specimeii.s), tiiere is little, if any, variation in proportions or coloi's 

 which can bi; considered strictly geographical. Esiiecially is this so with regard to dimensions and 

 relative measurements of different i)arts in an individual, — a fact which is dearly shown by the 

 carefully-made measurements of the whole series. The typical style, indeed, prevails with such 

 iinifoi iiiity, that of seventeen specimens only four dilfer in any noteworthy respect from the average 

 style. These "alierrant" examples are the following : — 



No. CS300, from Florida, is decidedly tht; largest in the whole series, its generol size almost 

 e(iualliiig that of A. occidoifalix. The liill also apiii'oaches (piife nearly to that of the latter species, 

 both in size and form. In colors, however, it is true lumdias, so far us essential characters are 

 concerned, the head-pattern being exactly as in typical specimens of that species ; the abdomen 

 with black largely pn^vailiiig, etc. The only obvious difference from ordinary specimens of the 

 species consists in the jieculiar plumage of the neck, which at first sight ajipears to be white 

 throughout. A dose examination, however, reveals the fact thai the feathei-s are very much 

 Worn oi' abraded, and that wherever they are least so a lavender-gray tinge is distinctly visible ! 

 N(;w, if we examine closely the neck jduniage of typical A. huroduis, we find that it is only the 

 siirfiicc which has tliis lavender-gray color, the concealed portion of the feathers being irliitish ; so 

 that the white appearance of the neck in this specimen is thus readily accounted for. As probably 

 indicating a tendency to albinism, it may be remarked that there are in this specimen many pure 

 white feathers mixed through the rum]) and upper tail-coverts.* 



The most important specimen of all, since its peculiarities are real, and not merely ap)>arent, 

 is No. 8005, from Mexico, also an adult. This example represents the opposite extreme in size 

 from that just noticed, being much the smallest in the whole series. As to plumage, it is typical 

 A. hiradias. The shades of c(dor are very deep and dark throughout, however, though not more 

 80 than 4524, from Cajie Flattery, W. T., which almost exactly resembles it in this respect. The 

 neck of this specimen is of precisely the same shade as that o( A. nrcidentalis (" Wiirdemanni"). 

 The chief i)eculiaiity of this spi'eimen is that the bill is thi'oughout of a dear bright yellow, 

 whereas in true hcmdins only part of the lower mandible is of this color, the npper being mainly 

 dusky. Should this latter character, taken together with the very small size, prove constant in 

 Mexican adult specimens, they may rank as a geographical race, for which the term "Ardea Lessoni," 

 BoNAP., would jirobably have to be employed. 



The Cape Flattery specimen alluded to above agrees exactly with the Mexican specimen as to 

 colors, but its proportions are very iieeuliar. Thus, while the wing is above the average length 

 and the tail up to the maximum, the bill is considerably below the average, being smallest of all 

 except that of the Mexican specimen ; the tibia and tarsus represent the minimum length, while 

 the middle toe is shorter than that of any other in the entire series ! 



The only other specimen in the collection worth mentioning in this connection is No. 33134, 

 Cape Saint Lucas. This specimen, also an adult, is remarkable simply on account of its rei-y liijht 

 colors. There is an unusual predominance of white on the breast and jugulum, and the colors 

 generally (excepting, of course, the bhick) are two or three shades lighter than in the average. Its 

 measurements come near the maximum. In these pecnliarities, however, we see only the result 

 of an extremely dry and hot climate, the bleaching effect of which is ])lainly visible in all the 

 birds of brown or grayish plumage in that region of continued droughts, which embraces, besides 



» Notes taken from fresh specimen [Xo. 84, D78, Nat. Mus., 9 juv.. Mount Carmel, Illinois, Sept. 

 26, 1870. Length, 42.00 ; expanse, 08.50]. 



••' Since the above was written, a re-examination of the specimen proves it to be A. Wardil The first 

 , inspection was made several years jirevious to the discovery of the latter species. 



