666 Eepoet ov State G-eologist. 



35. Genus NYCTICORAX Stepheus. 



o^. Bill about as long as tarsus; gonys nearly straight. Subgenus Nycticobax. 



IT. nyctieorax nsevius (Bodd.). 73 

 a'. Bill much sliorter than tarsus; gonys cmrvex. 



Subgenus Ktctbtasba. Stejneger. IT. violaoeus (Linn.). 73 



Subgenus Ntotiookas. 



*72. (2^2). Nyctieorax nycticorax naervius (Bobd.). 



Black-crowned Night Heron. 

 Synonyms, Quawk, SftUAWK, Qua-Bied. 



AdvU. — ^Crown, seapulaie and interscapulars, very dark glossj- 

 green; general plumagej bluish-gray, more or less tinged with liiac; 

 forehead, throat line and most under parts, whitish; two or three oc- 

 cipital plumes about 8.00 long, white; bill, black; lores, greenish; 

 eyes, red; feet, y«llow. Young. — Very different, lacking the plumes; 

 grayish-brown; paler below, -ratenfiively speckled with white; ciuiUs, 

 chocolate-brown, white-tipped. 



Length, about 23.00-^6.00; wing, 11.00-12.80; bill, 2.80-3.10; tarfiu^ 

 3.10-3.40. 



Eajstge. — America, Falkland Islands and Chili north to Manitoba 

 and Ontario. Breeds north to limit of its range. Winters from Gulf 

 States south. 



Ntst, of sticks, usually in trees; sometimes ia colonies. Eggs, 4-6; 

 pale greenish-bliite; 3.01 by 1.47. 



Eegular migrant and summer resident. Breeds locally in noith- 

 em part of the State in some numbers, in colsnies, by themselves or 

 with other herons. 



They arrive in the spring about the time of the last species. The 

 earliest date I have comes from its breeding ground, Liverpool, Ind., 

 Apjil 10, 1897 (Parker). This indicates that some, at I^tst, pro- 

 ceed straight to their heronries and others follow along more leisurely. 

 The following dates give the time of its first appearance in Lidiana 

 for a number of years: Carroll County, April 30, 1878 (Evermann); 

 Brookville, April 28, 1883; Marion County, April 18, 1884 (Noe); 

 Brookville, May 6, 1885; English Lalce, May 6, 1888 (Deane); Dekalb 

 County, April 29, 1893 (Mrs. Hine); Greensburg, April 14, 1894 

 (Shannon). 



The migration is over early in May, and by the latter part of that 

 month nests can be found, although some of them continue building 

 well into June. There is a heronry where they breed at English Lake. 

 (Deane.) Two nests were found there May 25 and 26, 1889, and June 



