YELLOW-CROWNED HERON. 293 
head is strongly tinged with yellow, which however disappears at the 
approach of autumn, when the bird might with all propriety be named 
the White-crowned Heron. 
The adult bird represented in the plate was shot by my friend Dr 
Bacuman, a few miles from Charleston, while I was in his company ; 
and the drawing of the plant was made by his amiable sister-in-law, 
Miss Martin. 
Arpea viotacea, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 268.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. 11. p. 690. 
—Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 306. 
YELLOw-cRowNED Heron, Arpea viotacea, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. viii. p. 26, 
pl. 65, fig. 1. Adult. 
Wuirter-crowneD Heron, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ui. p. 52. 
Adult Male in spring plumage. Plate CCCXXXVI. Fig. 1. 
Bill a little longer than the head, strong, straight, moderately com- 
pressed, tapering. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly arched 
and declinate, the ridge broad, convex, the sides bulging, the edges 
sharp and overlapping, the tip slender, with a distinct notch. Nasal 
depression wide, with a broad shallow groove extending towards the end 
of the mandible ; nostrils basal, oblong, pervious. Lower mandible with 
the angle very long and narrow, the dorsal line straight and sloping 
upwards, the sides sloping outwards and flat, the edges sharp, obscurely 
serrulate, the tip slender. 
Head large, oblong, compressed. Eyes large. Neck long. Body 
slender, much compressed. Feet long, moderately stout ; tibia bare at 
its lower part, with reticular angular scales; tarsus covered anterior- 
ly for more than half its length with scutella, over the rest of its ex- 
tent with angular scales; toes long and rather slender, with numerous 
seutella above, flat beneath, marginate ; hind toe stout, fourth a little 
longer than second, third much longer. Claws of moderate size, arched, 
compressed, acute, that of middle toe beautifully pectinate on the in- 
ner edge. 
Plumage loose, soft, and blended ; feathers on the upper part of the 
head lanceolate and acuminate, those on the occiput very long, linear, 
forming a pendant crest, which however is capable of being erected ; or 
the sides of the neck oblong, and directed obliquely backwards ; on the 
fore part of the back ovate-oblong ; on the lower part generally very 
long and loose. Between the scapule are two longitudinal series of 
