40 ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



color; lanceolate feathers of the juguluin mixed maroon-purple and plumljeous-blue, the former 

 prevailing laterally, the latter medially ; chin and upper part of throat pure white ; rest of the 

 throat bright cinnamon-rufous (tlje feathers white beneath tiie surface), this gradually becoming 

 narrower and finally broken up at about the middle of the foreueck, whence continued downward 

 in a series of mixed touches of white, rufous, and plumbeous ; rest oi the lower jjarts, including 

 the whole lining of the wing, and also the rump (the latter concealed by the train), pure white. 

 Upper parts neaily uniform plumbeous-blne, except the train, which is light drab, paler towards 

 tile extremity of the feathers. In the hrnediny season, the terminal third, or more, of the bill black, 

 "the rest sky-blue, shading into lilac at the base, the latter color extending to the eye; legs slate- 

 color ; iris red " (CoiiY). At other seasons, "bill browmsh black on the greater part of the upper 

 mandible, and on the sides of the lower mandible towards the point ; the rest yellow, as is the 

 bare space before and around the eye ; iris bright red ; feet light yellowish green, the anterior 

 scutellw dusky, as are the claws" (Audubon). 



Young : Head and neck light cinnamon-rufous, the featliers plumbeous beneath the surface, the 

 pileum overlaid with plumbeous, and nape tinged with the same ; chin, throat, and malar region 

 uniform white; foreneck white, witli a median longitudinal series of cinnamon-colored streaks, 

 these more broken posteriorly, where the white is much wider. Entire lower parts (including 

 axillars and lining of the wing), with entire rump and upper tail-coverts, uniform white. Upper 

 parts uniform Iduish-plumbeons, the wing-coverts widely tiiiped with light cinnamon-rufous, and 

 the back more or less tinged with the same. Occiiiital leathers slightly elongated, forming an 

 inconspicuous pendant crest, the feathers similar in color to those of adjacent parts ; no dorsal 

 plumes. Bill mostly yellow, the culmen and terminal third of upper mandiljle blackish ; " legs 

 deep greenish olive" (Audubon). 



Demerara specimens, representing the true H. tricolor, are very much smaller than more north- 

 ern examples. They are also decidedly darker, the neck being in some specimens plumljeous- 

 black, in others dark ])lumbeous, and the ferruginous of the thmat very deep. 



The Louisiana Heron is common on our southern Atlantic coast from the Chesa- 

 peake to the Florida Keys, and is found from thence to Central America in abun- 

 dance. It is common on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, but has not been met with 

 farther north than Mazatlan. It straggles along the Atlantic coast as far north 

 at least as Long Island. Giraud inchtdes it among his birds of Long Island, but 

 states it to be only a very rare and accidental visitant. A single specimen, shot at 

 Fatchogue in the summer of 18o(), was the only individual of this sjiecies known to 

 have been procured in that vicinity. Mr. Lawrence includes it among his list of birds 

 found near New York City. Mr. Turnbull states that it has been occasionally ob- 

 tained on the coast of New Jersey. Wilson sjieaks of it as sometimes found on the 

 swampy river shores of South Carolina, but more frequently along the borders of 

 the Mississippi, particularly below New Orleans. Mr. Dresser speaks of it as common 

 at Matamoras, and also near San Antonio. He also received it from Fort Stockton, 

 taken there in the summer. At San Antonio he obtained one so late in the season as 

 to render it not improbable that some remain through the winter. In June, 1864, lie 

 found a number breeding on Galveston Island. They build a heavy nest, either on 

 the ground or in the low bushes. The nixmber of the eggs was four. In Florida, 

 Mr. Boardnian found it breeding invariably upon low bushes, and always in company 

 with the candid'issima. Mr. Salvin states that he found this Heron common about 

 the lagoons that line the whole Pacific coast of Guatemala, but he met with none in 

 the interior. It is given by Dr. Gundlach as breeding in Cuba, and is described as a new 

 species by Gosse, among the birds of Jamaica, under the name of E/jretta ruficoUls ; 

 but he only met with a few specimens, though he regarded it as undoubtedly a per- 

 manent resident in the island. Mr. March S])eaks of it as one of the most common 

 birds of the island, where it is known as the Red-necked Gaulin. 



Audubon characterizes it as among the most delicate in form, beautiful in plumage, 



