EIDGWAY ON AMEEICAN HEEODIONES. 241 



form. In colors, however, it is true lierodias, so far as essential characters 

 are concerned, the head-pattern being exactly as in typical specimens 

 of that species; the abdomen with black largely prevailing, etc. The 

 only obvious difference from ordinary specimens of the species consists 

 in the peculiar plumage of the neck, which at first sight appears to be 

 white throughout. A close examination, however, reveals the fact that 

 the feathers are very much worn or abraded, and that wherever they 

 are least so a lavender-gray tinge is distinctly visible ! 'Now, if we ex- 

 amine closely the neck-plumage of typical A. Jierodias, we find that it is 

 only the s%r/wce which has this lavender-gray color, the concealed portion 

 of the feathers being whitish ; so that the white appearance of the neck 

 in this specimen is thus readily accounted for. As probably indicating 

 a tendency to albinism, it may be remarked that there are in this spe- 

 cimen many pure white feathers mixed through the rump and upper tail- 

 coverts. 



The most important specimen of all, since its peculiarities are real, 

 and not merely apparent, is No. 8065, from Mexico, also an adult. This 

 example represents the opposite extreme in size from that just noticed, 

 being much the smallest in the whole series. As to plumage, it is 

 typical A. herodias. The shades of color are very deep and dark through- 

 out, however, though not more so than 4524, from Cape Flattery, 

 W. T., which almost exactly resembles it in this respect. The neck of 

 this specimen is of precisely the same shade as that of A. occidentalis 

 (" wurdemanni"). The chief peculiarity of this specimen is that the bill 

 is throughout of a clear bright yellow, whereas in true herodias only 

 part of the lower mandible is of this color, the upper being mainly 

 dusky. Should this latter character, taken together with the very small 

 size, prove constant in Mexican adult specimens, they may rank as 

 a geographical race, for which the term ^'' Ardea lessoni^^ Bonap. would 

 probably have to be employed. 



The Cape Flattery specimen alluded to above agrees exactly with the. 

 Mexican specimen as to colors, but its proportions are very peculiar 

 Thus, while the wing is above the average length and the tail up to the 

 maximum, the bill is considerably belowthe average, being smallest of all 

 except that of the Mexican specimen ; the tibia and tarsus represent 

 the minimum length, while the middle toe is shorter than that of any 

 other in the entire series! 



The only other specimen in the collection, worth mentioning in this 

 connection is No. 33134, Cape Saint Lucas. This specimen, also an 

 adult, is remarkable simply on account of its very light colors. There 

 is an unusual i^redomiuance of white on the breast and jugulam, and 

 the colors generally (excepting, of course, the black) are two or three 

 shades lighter than in the average. Its measurements, as may be seen 

 by the table, come near the maximum. In these peculiarities, however, 

 we see only the result of an extremely dry and hot climate, the bleach- 

 ing effect of which is plainly visible in all the birds of brown or grayish 

 Bull. iv. No. 1— |C 



