62 



ALTRICIAL GUALLATOUES — IIEUODIONES. 



Sr. f'liAU. AiIhII : Knicliciul, iniiliUc of tin- trown, ami lunf,' occiiiital plunieH, with ft Iftr^'O 

 l«(ii;,'itiuliiml palcli IVom the riiliis In the i-iirs, imii! white ;' il-hI of thr iiciul ilei-p Itlaclv. I'lii- 

 iiiaj,'^ in •^(•lu'ial, ili'ar phiiiiln'ouH-hluf, or liiicii'ous, iijjhter hcnwith (l\w (ivj^ivu of hhiL-iicsM jnolc 

 aliiy (h'liciidiiit,' on (he aj^c of the hiiil) ; all the fuatliH-s of thu- uppiT snifaii' niarki'il with u nicilial 

 utripe of black ; the KitoiiilaiiLs and ivilriiis dark plunibuoii!*, boidi'iiid with u liyhtir shade of 



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th(! same ; iiriniarios plain bluish plunibpous. Bill depp bluek, the lower basal portion of the mnn- 

 dibk', in soniu speiinicns, gu'cnish yellow ; lores and eyelids j,'reenish yellow ; iris jiale orange ; 

 k'tjs (hill yellowish jjreen, the larj,'e scutellic and the elaws dnsky.* 



Young : Above, dark sooty j^rayish brown, sometimes of a slii,'htly olive cast, the feathers of the 

 pileum and winj,'s (in younj,'est individuals the entire uiii)er surface /) marked with medial streaks 

 of white or pale bulf; these streaks assuming on the winj;-coverts a narrowly cnneate form. Lower 

 parts soiled whitish, striped with brownish j,''"y. " 15ill },'reenish black, the lower and basal part 

 of the lower mandible greenish yellow, as are the eyelids and bare .npace before the eye. Iris pale 

 orange. Legs and feet dull yellowish green, the scutella and scales in front, a.s well as the claws, 

 dusky" (AuuUHON). Length, about 23.(H)-2r).(H) ; expanse, •l().(X)-4r).(K» ; weight, 1 lb. 7 oz. to 

 I lb. 9oz. (AuDL-noN). Wing, 10..'50-12.«r) ; tail, 4.20-5.10; culnien, 2.50-3.00 ; depth of bill, 

 .70-92 ; tarsus, 3.10-4.20 ; middle toe, 2.20-2.55 ; bare portion of tibia, 1.60-2.40. 



The variation among different individuals of this species consists mainly in the absence or pres- 

 ence of the ochraceous stain on the forehead (and, if present, its amount;, and in the degree of 

 blueness in the plumbeous coloring of the general plumage. The most purely colored specimen I 



* In living and freshly killed specimens the forohead is a delicate creamy sulphur-yellow color ; but 

 this fades perceptibly in a very short time after death, and finally disappears entirely. Audubon ("Biiils 

 of America," Vol. VI. p. 91) says, liowever, tlmt this is ehnraeteristic of the breeding sen.son, and "dis- 

 apiiears at the approach of auttunii, when the bird might with all propriety be named the 'White-crowned 

 Heron." In view of the fact that this lieautiful yellow color is seldom if ever to be seen in dried skins, 

 the term "yellow-crowned" is a decided misnomer; and .sim-e it is thus calculated to mi.slead the stu- 

 dent, we prefer the name "white-crowned," and have, for the reasons stated, ailopted the latter in this 

 work. In many skins the white of the forehead is tinged more or less with ochraceous- or cinnamon- 

 brown ; but this is without much doubt an actual stain caused by contact with the slimy ccating on the 

 under side of leaves of aquatic plants. 



* In nn adult female shot from the nest, at Wheatland, Indiana, April 27, 1881, the bill and naketl 

 lores were wholly slate-black, the eyelids similar, but tinged with green anteriorly ; iris Mars-orange ; 

 legs pale olive-hulT, the largo scutellie of tarsus and toes deep brownish. In the adidt male in spring, 

 according to Audu1)on, the soft parts are colored as follows : " Bill black. Iris ivddish-orange ; nmrgins 

 of eyelids and Irnre space in front of the eye dull yellowish green. Tibia, upper part of the tarstis, its 

 hind part and the soles, bright yellow ; the scutella and scales, the fore jmrt of the torsus, the toes, 

 and the claws, black." 



