162 Ward on Ardea Wardi Ridg. [April 



tion these specimens were identical in size and coloration with 

 those procured in 1881 at Estero Ba3^ The measurements of the 

 two before me, taken when the birds were fresh, are as follows: 

 No. I. Culmen, 7-75' depth of bill, 1.40; tarsus, 10.00; mid- 

 dle toe, 5.75 ; naked tibia, 5.75. Eyes yellow ; bill olive above 

 and yellow below. Bare portion of tibia light yellow, shading into 

 olivaceous at the knee-joint. Tarsus olivaceous in front, bright 

 yellow behind ; soles of feet and toes light yellow. No. 2. Cul- 

 men, 7-25; depth of bill, i.3o; tarsus, 8.50; middle toe, 5.25; 

 naked tibia, 5.50. Eyes yellow. Bill uniformly lightish yellow. 

 Bare tibia, tarsus, and feet colored as in No. i. This specimen 

 differs in coloration from the type specimen in the head and neck- 

 The neck is a shade darker. The head is pure white, black 

 crown patch smaller, white on forehead larger, extending back be- 

 hind the occipital plumes, which are white, narrowing at the back 

 of crown, where the elongated feathers are streaked and splashed 

 with white. I fii'st called this specimen Ai'dea wilrdemanni^ but 

 Mr. Ridgway, upon comparing it with the type of A, wurde- 

 nianni^ pronounces it typical A. wardi, with an albinotic ten- 

 dency. We found A. wardi nesting singly, and in groups of 

 half-a-dozen to forty pairs. Several specimens were taken at dif- 

 ferent points on the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, and 

 Charlotte Harbor, all being alike in color. 



A curious circumstance was the conspicuous absence of A. 

 occidentalis among the birds. In the entire region explored 

 not a single specimen was observed. Several large heronries were 

 examined on Lake Okeechobee (ranging in size from 10 to 40 

 nests), and not a single white bird, either old or young, could be 

 found. In the Okeechobee heronries no other Herons nested, the 

 ground being exclusively occupied by Snake Birds and A. wardi. 



From March i to May 15, these birds were breeding. Young 

 in every stage of development were found (as well as freshly 

 laid eggs) during my entire sojourn. My observations have led 

 to no definite or satisfactory conclusions i^egarding the status of 

 A. occidentalism, A. wilrdemait7tiy and A. wardi. Through the 

 regions explored A. luardi is abundant and A. wurdemanni 

 and A. occidentalis are exceedingly rare, if found at all. 



It would appear from all the evidence at my command that 

 A. wardi has no white phase. The only evidence tending to 

 substantiate the theory of dichromatism is the finding of a white 



