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82 



ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES - IlERODIONES. 



IIab. The whole of tropical and wttnii-tuinpemte America ; noitli to New York (casual), 

 Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and California ; south to Ecuador and iJuenos 

 Ayre:j. 



Sp. Char. Adult : Head and upper half of the neck naked, and covered with a hard, scurfy 

 skin, of a dusky color ; the vertex covei-ed hy a somewhat shield-shaped liorny phite, of a li;,'hter 

 color, the neck with transverse, somewhat ovute, Ijiuk-like, ru>,'ose scales. Plumage in general 

 uniform while, the primary-coverts, remitjes, and rectrices black, with metallic purple, bronze, and 

 green reflections. " Bill dusky yellowish l)rown, the edges yellow ; sides of the head dark bluish 

 purple, upper part of head horn-color, or <lull grayish yellow, the rest of the baie skin of the same 



tint, many of the scales anteriorly blue ; iris deep brown, at a distance seeming black ; tibia and 

 tarsus indigo-blue ; toes above black, on tlie lateral and hind toes, however, many of the scutelhc 

 bluish gray, the webs pale yellowish flesh-color; claws black" (Aududon). Yotimj : Head and 

 neck covered with rather scant, somewhat " woolly " feathers, excepting tlie forehead, anterior part 

 of the crown, lores, anterior portion of malar region, chin, and anterior part of throat, which arc 

 covered with a smooth skin. Head and neck grayish brown, darkest on the occiput (where dark 

 sooty), growing gradually paler below. Rest of the plumage as in the adult, but the black feath- 

 ers of wings and tail less metallic* Immature: Head bare and corrugated, as in the adult ; neck 

 feathered, as iu the young. Wing, 17.60-19.50; tail, «. 10-7.30; culmen, 7.55-9.30; depth of 

 bill through nostril, 1.55-1.90 ; tarsus, 7.00-8.50 ; middle toe, 3.85-4.30 ; bare part of tibia, 5.00- 

 6.25 ;* weight, 11| lbs. ; total length, 44^ inches ; extent of wings, 62 inches (Audubon). 



Varying accounts have been given of the habits and peculiarities of this re- 

 markable si)ecies ; and although some of these divergencies have at first appeared 

 irreconcilable with each other, and as if one or the other statement must be utterly 

 erroneous, more recent investigations have done much to exi)lain and harmonize 

 these apparent discords. Bartram, who enjoyed many opportunities for observing 

 the habits of this species in Florida, characterizes it as solitary and indolent, sel- 

 dom associating in flocks, usually frequenting the banks of tlie principal rivers 

 and marshes, especially where these are inundated, as well as deserted rice-planta- 

 tions near the sea-coast. He describes it as a feathered hermit standing listless 

 and alone on the topmost limb of some tall decayed cypress, its neck drawn in 



1 According to Audubon, "the young are dusky gray all over, the quills and tail brownish bln(!k ; 

 the head all covered with down, excepting just nt the base of the bill. After the first monlt, the bare 

 space extends over the head and cliceks ; tlie downy feathere of the hind head and neck are dusky ; the 

 general color of the plumage is white, the quills and tail as in the adult, but with less gloss." 



" Ten adults measured. 



