268 



KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



9. Reddish Egret (198. Ardea rufescens). — A southern, 

 large, " aigrette " heron, which occurs in two color phases. 

 (1) Pure white throughout, with the exception of the tips of 



the primaries, which 

 are sometimes spec- 

 kled with grayish. 

 (2) Slate-colored on 

 the body and chest- 

 nut-colored on the 

 neck. The adult, in 

 breeding dress, has 

 about thirty of the 

 " aigrette " plumes. 

 Intermediate forms 

 between the phases 

 are also found. 



Reddish Egret 



Louisiana Heron 



Length, 27-.'32 ; wing, 12| (1-2-14J) ; tail, 4J; tarsus, 5| ; cultnen, 3J. 

 Gulf States north to southern Illinois, south to Jamaica and Central 

 America. 



10. Louisiana Heron (199. Ardea tricolor ruficdllis). — A 

 small, southern, bluish-slate-eolored heron, with white belly 

 and throat line and pur- 

 plish crest and neck. The 

 white rump is concealed 

 by elongated, purplish- 

 white - tipped " aigrette " 

 plumes, reaching to the tail. As the young lack plumes, 

 they show the white lower back and rump, and the back has 

 more or less of brownish washings. 



Length, 23-28; wing, 10 (8^-11); tail, 3^ ; tarsus, .3| ; culmen, 

 31-4J. Gulf States, south to Central America and West Indies, casually 

 north to New Jersey and Indiana. 



11. Little Blue Heron (200. Ardea coerulea). — A small, 

 common, bluish-slate-colored heron, with the head and neck 

 slightly purplish. The lower neck and back feathers are 

 lengthened and sharply pointed. The legs and feet are black. 



