te 



ARDEIDiE, HERONS. GEN. 235-6, 237. 269 



purplish-chestnut, the throat-lLiie variegated with dusky or whitish ; iinder 

 parts mostly dark In-ownish-ash, belly variegated with white ; quills and tail 

 greenish-dusky with a glaucous shade, edge of the wing white ; some of the 

 quills usually white-tipped ; bill greenish-black, much of the under mandible 

 yellow ; lores and iris yellow ; legs greenish-yellow ; lower neck with 

 lengthened feathers in front, a bare space behind. Young with the head less 

 crested, the back without long plumes, but glossy greenish, neck merely 

 reddish-brown, and whole under parts white, variegated with tawny and 

 dark brown. Length 16-18 ; wing about 7 ; bill 2J ; tarsus 2 ; middle toe 

 and claw about the same ; tibiae bare 1 or less. U. S., and a little beyond, 

 abundant in summer; resident in the South. Wils., vii, 97, pi. 61, f. 

 1; NuTT., ii, 63; Aud., vi, 105, pi. 367; Bd., 676. . . . vikescens. 



235-6. Genus NYCTIARDEA Swainson. 

 u/^t Night Heron. Qua-hird. Squau-h. No peculiar feathers excepting 2-3 <r 

 very long filamentous plumes springing from the occiput, generally imbricated 

 in one bundle ; bill very stout ; tarsi reticulate below in front ; length about 

 2 feet; wing 12-14 inches; bill, tarsus and middle toe about 3. Crown, 

 scapulars aud interscapulars, very dark glossy green ; general plumage 

 bluish-gray, more or less tinged with lilac; forehead, throat-line and most 

 under parts, whitish ; occipital plumes white ; bill black ; lores greenisli ; 

 eyes red ; feet yellow. Young very different ; lacking the plumes ; grayish- 

 broAvu, paler below, extensively speckled with white ; quills chocolate-ljrown, 

 white-tipped. U. S., and somewhat northward, abundant; resident in the 

 South, migratory elsewhere. A. nycticorax Wils., vii, 101, pi. 61, f. 

 2, 3; Aud., vi, 82, pi. 363; A. discors N'utt., ii, 54; N. gardeni Bd., 

 678; A. ncevia Bodd., Planches Eulumin^es, 939. . gkisea var.*NiEViA. 

 J, j-rJ Yelloiu-crowned Night Heron. Adult with the head crested, some of the 

 ' feathers extremely long, and back with long loose feathers, some of which 

 reach beyond the tail ; bill short, extremely stout ; tarsi mostly reticulate, 

 longer than middle toe ; about as large as the last ; bill 2f ; tarsus 35 ; 

 middle toe 3. Grayish-plumbeous, darker on the back, Avhere the feathers 

 have black centres and pale edges, and rather paler below, the head and 

 upper neck behind black, with a cheek-patch, the crown, and most of the 

 crest, white, more or less tinged with tawny ; bill black, e3'es orange, lores 

 greenish, feet black and yellow. Young speckled, as in the last, but show- 

 ing the different proportions of the bill aud feet. AYiLS., viii, 26, pi. 65, 

 f. 1 ; NuTT., ii, 52 ; Aud., vi, 89, pi. 364; Bd., 679. . . . violaceus. 



237. Genus BOTAURUS Stephens. 



u ijn Bittern. Indian Hen. Stake-driver. Bog-bidl. Plumage of the upper v 

 parts singularly freckled with brown of various shades, blackish, tawny aud 

 whitish ; neck and under parts ochrey or tawny white, each feather marked ■ 

 with a brown dark-edged stripe, the throat-line white, with brown streaks, 

 a velvety black patch on each side of the neck above ; crown dull brown, 



