C4 



ALTUICIAL (ilJALI.ATOltlvS— UKIIODIDNKS. 



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In tlic luliilt iduiiin^'i', tliJH H|M'(i('j< U |iiolialpIy riniJ<icl(nil>ly tlmkir than xV. I'iuliiftui, with the 

 bhick strijicH ol' the u|iiifr I'liit.-i Ii'n.i ili'^liiul, pfiliaiw nlpsolftc. 



Tlic Vi'lldW-cniwiKMl Ilcnm is a sDUtlicr i species, not kiiiiwn td lireetl north of 

 tile Carolinus on the Athmtie emist, tlioiij^h tieeasioniilly wamhTiMK nineh I'urther 

 nortli, hotli on tlie Athmtie cdast ami in tiie interior. It is found ah)nj,' tlie \vhoh( 

 (Julf coast to Mexico, occuis lioth on tiie eastern and the western coasts of .Nfexico 

 iind of Central America, and has lieen rtHH'ived from South America. ( hi the I'aciliir 

 coast it Ikls not been taken, to our knowledge, so fur north as California, though ahun- 

 dant on the .Marias and Socorro Islands and the eorres|ionding coast. It is found in 

 and iireeds in several of the West India Islands. I'mfessor Newton mentions it as 

 occurring, hut us not very coiiinion, in St. Croix, where it inhabits the niangrovt- swamjis 

 in the daytime, hut leaves them at night to feed in the interior of the island It is 

 im'sumed to he resiih-nt and to hreed in that island, hut this has not heeii positively 

 a.scertained. Mr. K. C. Taylor found it ahiindant in the Oropuche lagoon, in 'rrini- 

 dad, hut he did not meet with any elsewhere on that i.slaml. Leotand also speaks of 

 this Heron as being quite ciuumon in Trinidad, where it is both resident and known 

 to breed. Its food, for which it .searches in tlie night, is not dilTereiit from that of 

 other Herons. During the daytime it keeps itself closely conceah'd iiniong the man- 

 grove trees, which till all the inlets from the sea. .\t times this bird is very fat, and 

 is then (piite good eating. Unlike the Night llentii, it can iievci be reconciled to 

 captivity, but always retains its wild and untamable character. It is mentioned by 

 Dr. (lundlach as a coninum resident species in Cuba, where he obtained its eggs. It 

 is not given by Mr. (Josse, who probably confounded it with the (ian/iii!, as among 

 the birds of .lamaica, but is meiiti(Uied by Mr. March as of frequent occurrence on 

 thut i.sland. It is known as the (iuinea-hen tiMiok. by which term Mr. (io.s.so supposed 

 the young of the (inn/iii! to be designated. .Mr. Salviii states that specimens of 

 this bird were among tlu' skins collected by ilr. Leyland in Honduras; and he after- 

 ward rcjtorted that he himself found it not uncctmmon on the Pacific seu-eoast of 

 (lUateiiiala. It is an occasional visitant of licrmuda, both in spring and in fall. It 

 is of rare and accidental occiirreiu'c along the .\tlantic coast, even as far as Massa- 

 chusetts. Mr. N. N'ickary, (d' Lynn, obtained a line siiecimen that had been killed 

 wit'iin the limits of that city in October, iStil'. .Mr. Oeorge N. Lawrence includes it 

 in his list of birds olitained near New York City ; and .Mr. (iiraud states that it occa- 

 sionally extends its visits as far north as Long Island. It is there (d' entirely noc- 

 turnal habit, keeping hidden in the marshes during the day. and feeding ehietly at 

 night. Profes.sor F. H. Snow records the capture (d' an adult female Vellow-crowned 

 Night Heron and three young birds at Neosho Falls, Kansas, by Colonel N. S. (ioss. 

 The female was in full breeding jilumage. One was also taken by Mrs. Maxwell, in 

 Colorado. Mr. Dresser found it more ahundant in Southwestern T»'xas than the 

 common Night Heron, hut none were seen ahont .Matamoras until .\ugust. ^Mr. Wil- 



dark brownish slate, Ix^coiiiing gnidnnlly glauoo\is-iiluiiil)(nus on tlu: tcitials, rciniges, ninip, ujiper tail- 

 covt'i't.s, ami tail ; clongati-il s( iiimlar iiliiiiifs dark iilumlicdns, without Maik mrsial stiijn' ; wing-ioviits 

 narrowly edjji'd with lifjiit I'lilvous or i rcaiiiy lailV ; IhuiIci- of tlii' wiiiK I'lilvous-whitf, sjiottwl along the 

 inner edge witii ilark jdiiinhfous. Neck hrowiiish .slate, the I'oivneek lon<;itu<linally striped with jmle 

 oehiaeeous ; reinainiiiK lower jiaits similar, hnt more jirofusely streaked witli liglit oehraifoiis and white. 

 Under-snrfaee of tlie wings nearly uiiiform iihiiiilK'ous. 



Wing, 10.40 ; tail, 4.50 ; eiilmen, '.2.0(1 ; depth of bill through nostril, .80 ; tai-sus, 3.40 ; middle toe, 

 2.30 ; bare ]>ortion of tibia, 1.50. 



[Described from the tyjn- in Mus. .Sialvin & fiodman ; Iiich'fatij.'ablc L Galapagos, Aug. 30, 1878 ; Pr. 

 A. Haljel. Length, 21.00 ; e.\tent, 38.00. Iris, oraii^je ; bill, black ; le-js and feet, Kieeii.] 



