ZOOLOGY. 229 



in the St. Mary's valle^y, W. T. ; one seen in San Francisco; and another was preserved by me 

 which was killed on Puget Sound. As far as my observation proves, it is not a common bird 

 on the northwest coast. 



The specimen obtained by me at Fort Steilacoom is now contained in the Smithsonian 

 collection, numbered 9468. The bill of this bird was yelloivtsh green, dusky above. Feet and 

 legs yellowish green. — S. 



NYCTIARDEA GARDENI, (Gm e 1 .) Bai r d. 



Niglit Heron. 



Ardea gardeni, Gmblin, I, 1788, 644. 



Nytiicorax gardeni, "Jakd." Bonap. Consp. 11, 1855, 141. 



Ardea nycticorax, Wllson, Am. Om. VII, 1813, 101 ; pi. Ixi.— Bon. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 193.--AcD. Dm. Biog 



III, 1835, 275 : V, COO ; pi. 236 — Ib. Syn. 261.— Ib. Bhas Amer. VI, 1843, 82 ; pi. 363. 

 Ardea (Botaurus) discors, Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 54. 

 Nyctiardea gardeni, Baird, Gen. Kep. Birds, 678. 



Sp. Ch. — Head above and middle of back steel green. Wings and tail ashy blue. Under parts, forehead, and long 

 occipital feathers, white. Sides tinged with lilac. Length, about 25 inches ; wing, 12.50 ; tarsus, 3.15 ; bill above, 3.10. 

 Hab. — United States generally. 



This bird is mentioned by Dr. Townsend as inhabiting Oregon. While on Puget Sound I 

 have several times thought that I recognized its cry during the night time. These sounds, 

 whatever it was that produced them, occasioned much fright among the Indians, who believe 

 that the creature that utters them has the power of transforming human beings into inferior 

 animals. They have also several traditions and superstitious stories concerning this, to them, 

 horrible bird. I was unable to obtain a specimen of it during my stay in that region, but 

 upon my arrival in San Francisco I found that it was quite abundant on the Pacific coast, and 

 one or more specimens are contained in every collection of birds I inspected in that city. 

 Several of these were in most elegant condition of plumage, the pendant white pencillated 

 feathers of the head, characteristic of the species, being, in several specimens, from six to nine 

 inches in length. — S. 



I have not met with the night heron in this Territory, though, as it is common in California, 

 it jDrobably migrates to the Columbia river, where Townsend seems to have found it. — C. 



Family CHARADRIDAE- The Plovers. 

 CHARADRIUS VIRGINICUS, Borck. 



Golden Plover ; Bull-liead* 



Oharadrius pluvialis, Wilson, Am. Cm. VII, 1813, 71 ; pi. lix.— Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 623.— Nuttall, Man. 



U, 1834, 16 — AuD Cm. Biog. Ill, 1835, 623. (Not of Linnajus.) 

 Charadrius virginicm, " Borckhausen and Becbstein." Light. Verz. Doubl 1823, No. 729. — Baird & Cassdj, 



Gen Rep Birds, 690. 

 Charadrius marmoratus, Waglek, Syst. Av. 1827, No. 42.— AuD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 575 ; pi. 300.— Ib Syn. 222.— 

 Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842, 203 ; pi. 316. 

 Figures —Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 59, fig. 5.— Aud. B. of Am. pi. 300, Oct. ed. V, pi. 316.— Meten, Nova Acta, XVI, 

 Supp. pi. 18. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill rather short, legs moderate, wings long, no hind toe, tarsus covered before and behind with small circular or 

 hexagonal scales. Upper parts brownish black, with numerous small circular and irregular spots of golden yellow, most 



