132 



IIKIiONS AND lUTTKRNS. 



I 





gray, darker tlian in A. hfroiliiiH, with u similar tliroat lino of wiiito, Mnck, 

 and rufourt. Under wiiijjr-fovcrt.s streaked with wliite; rufous ofed^e of winjf 

 le«H extenttivc than in ./. h-'fodiwi, that of tiliia! paler. Tiliiic and soles of feet 

 yellow ; tarsi ami top of toes yellowish j^reen. ////. — Like yoinij; .1. lnroJidH; 

 toji of head <lusky, the featlu-rs with whitish sjjaft lines and bases. Lesser 

 winj^-eoverts speekled with rusty, the under ones pure white" (Coues). "L., 

 48'00-50-00; W., 20UU-21-UO; R, 5-!»i>-(J-oO ; Tar., 7'l)5-8-iJ5" (Rid^'w.). 



193* Ardea> wardl lildijw. Wauh's IIkkon. — This is the Florida rep- 

 resentative of A. hiroilidn. It is Itelieved l)y some ornitholo;,'ists to he a dis- 

 tinet speeics, but in my opinion is a peninsular raee. The averaj,'e tlitlerenecH 

 in color between it and ,1. hirodidn eonsist in its whiter lower parts, darker 

 neek, and olive instead of blaek lejfs. These ilitl'i'reiices, however, ean not 

 always be relied upon, and size is the eharaeter l)y wliii'h tlie two birds ean 

 be.st bo distini^uished, wardi beinjjr the larger, as the follow iiij,' nieasurement.s 

 Bhow: L., 52-00; \V., mr)-2(K)0; H., ()-.to-i;-80 ; Tar., 8-00-8-50. 



Jiange, — Florida, from Alaehua County southward. 



J\«#<, a platform of stieks, in colonies, generally in cypress trees. Eggs, 

 three to four, pale, dull blue, 2-05 x 1-85. 



This is the Florida form of the preceding, which it resembles in 

 habits. It is more common than the (iroiit Ulue Heron, and is gener- 

 ally distributed throughout the peninsula from Gainesville southward. 



194* Ardea herodias Linn. Gkk.vt Bi.ie IIkuon; Bli-e Crane; 



Sanduill Cuank. Ad. in breeding jdumage. — Center of the crown and throat 

 white, sides of the crown blaek, this color meeting on the back of the head, 

 where the feathers are lengthened to form an occipital crest : neck pale gray- 

 ish brown, a narrow black, white, ami ochraceous line down the midille of 

 the forencck ; feathers of the k)wer foreneck narrow and much lengthened, 

 whitish with sometimes black streaks; back, wing-coverts, and tail slaty 

 gray, the scapulars paler, narrow, and much lengthened ; bend of the wing 

 ehestnut-rufous ; a patch of black and white feathers on the side of the 

 breast; breast and belly streaked with black and white and sometimes palo 

 rufous ; feathers on legs dull rufous, legs and feet l)lack, upper mandible olive- 

 yellow, the eulmcn blacki.sh; lower mandible yellow; lores blue. Im. — 

 Similar, but entire crown black, throat white, neck brownish gray wi'shcd 

 with buify ochraceous ; no idack at the sides of tlic breast or plumes on tlio 

 lower neck; under parts streaked with black, .'<laty, white, and ochraceous; 

 l)end of wings and feathers on legs jialer; back shity grayish bnnvn without 

 lengthened plumes. "L., 42-00-50-00; W., 17-'J0-ll.)-85 ; B., 4'C0-C-25; T(t., 

 G-00-8-00" (Ridgw.). 



liange. — Northern South America northward to the arctic regions; breeds 

 locally throughout most of its North American range ami winti-rs from the 

 Middle States southward. 



Washington, rather common, absent only in midwinter. Long Island, 

 common T. V., Apl. and May; Aw^. to Dec. Sing Sing, coiimion T. V.. Apl. 

 4 to Apl. 18; Aug. 10 to Oct. 6. (Janibridge, conmiou T. V., Apl. and May ; 

 Sept. to Nov. ; occasional iu suuuner. 



