82 



ALTRIOIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



Hab. The whole of tropical and wann-temperate America ; north to New York (casual), 

 Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, C!olorado, Utah, Nevada, and California ; south to Ecuador and Buenos 

 Ayres. 



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

 skin, of a dusky color ; the vertex covered Ijy a somewhat shield-shaped horny plate, of a lighter 

 color, the neck with ti'ansverse, somewliat ovate, bark-like, rugose scales. Plumage in general 

 uniform white, the primary-coverts, reuiiges, and rectrices black, with metallic purple, bronze, and 

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

 purple, upper part of head horn-color, or dull grayish yellow, the rest of the bare skin of the same 



tint, many of the scales anteriorly blue ; iris deeji brown, at a distance seeming blaid^ ; tibia and 

 tarsus indigo-ljlue ; toes above lilack, on the lateral and hind toes, however, many of the scutelhe 

 bluish gray, the webs pale yellowish tlesh-color ; claws black " (Audubon). Youny : Head and 

 neck covered with rather scant, somewhat "woolly" feathers, excepting the forehead, anterior jiart 

 of the crown, lores, anterior portion of malar region, chin, and anterior part of tliroat, which are 

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

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

 ers of wings and tail less metallic.^ Ivimuture: Head bare and corrugated, as in the adult ; neck 

 feathered, as in the young. Wing, 17.60-19..50 ; tail, 6.10-7.3(t ; culmeii, 7.55-9.30; depth of 

 l)ill 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^ llis. ; total length, 44i inches ; extent of wings, 62 inches (Audubon). 



Varying aepouiits have heen given of tlie habits and peenliaritie.s of this re- 

 markable specie.s ; and although some of these divergencies have at hrst appeared 

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

 erroneous, more recent investigations have chine much to exjilain and harmonize 

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

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

 dom associating in flocks, usually frecpienting the banks of the 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 



'According to Audubon, "the young arc dusky gray all over, the quills and tail lirownisli black ; 

 the head all covered with down, e.xcepting just at the base of. the bill. After the tirst moult, the bare 

 space extends over the head and cheeks ; the downy feathers of the hind head and neck are dusky ; the 

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



- Ten adults measured. 



