222 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



BLACK/CROWNED NIGHT HERON, 



A. O. U. No. 203. (Nycticorax nycticorax nsevius.) 



RANGE. 



America, chiefly south of Canada. Breeds from Central America^ 

 where it is a resident, northwards. Winters south of the United States,, 

 through the whole of South America. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length, about 24 in,; extent, about 44 in.; tail, 5 in. Adults: bill,, 

 black; eyes, red; lores, greenish; legs, yellow; crown and back, glos- 

 sy greenish black; rest of upper parts, including wings and tail, bluish 

 gray; throats and under parts, whitish; breast, grayish, and the feath- 

 ers somewhat lengthened. Three long, slender, white plumes project 

 from the back of the head. Young: eyes, yellow; legs, greenish yel- 

 low; no plumes on head; crown, brownish; above, brownish gray, the 

 feathers with white streaks or spots in the center; under parts, grayish 

 streaked with darker. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



Night Herons breed in large colonies or heronries. Large trees are 

 generally used for these colonies and the nests are, as a rule, placed 

 high up. In the northern parts of the United States a large growth of 

 pines is preferred. The nests are large, but generally shabbily built 

 of larger sticks for the outside, and lined with fine twigs and rootlets. 

 They lay three or four, and very rarely five pale bluish-green eggs. 

 The breeding season varies from soon after the first of April in Texas, 

 to the middle or latter part of May, or early in June in New England. 



