ARDEA. 131 



north to Florida and southern Illinois (vicinity of Cairo) ; Mexico 

 (both coasts, including Lower California) and Guatemala; Cuba; 



Jamaica 198. A. rufa Bodd. Reddish Egret 



c». Color entirely pure white, at all ages ; size of A. rufa. Sab. Gulf coast 

 from Florida to Texas, and south to Honduras and Guatemala (both 



coasts); Cuba — . A. pealei Bonap. Peale's Egret. 



a*. Culmen equal to or longer than tarsus, the latter less than one and a half times 

 as long as the middle toe (without claw). 

 b 1 . Wing more than 8.00 ; culmen and tarsus more than 3.00. 



Adult with an occipital tuft of several moderately lengthened lan- 

 ceolate, compact-webbed feathers; jugular feathers broadly lan- 

 ceolate, with compact webs, and distinct outlines ; scapular plumes 

 lengthened, straight and hair-like, extending to a little beyond the 

 tail ; color never wholly white. (Subgenus Hydranassa Baird.) 

 Adult : Head, neck, and upper parts bluish plumbeous, the lan- 

 ceolate plumes with a chalky or glaucous cast, the color darker 

 on head and neck ; plumes of occiput and nape rich maroon 

 purplish, the longer feather among the former white ; jugular 

 plumes rich maroon purplish and plumbeous-blue; chin and 

 upper part of throat pure white, continued in streaks, mixed 

 with rufous and plumbeous, down the fore-neck ; "train" (i.e., 

 scapular plumes) light drab; lower parts plain white. Young: 

 Head and neck chiefly light rusty, the malar region, chin, and 

 throat pure white ; fore-neck streaked white and rusty ; lower 

 parts, rump, and upper tail-coverts pure white; upper parts 

 (except rump, etc.) plumbeous, the back tinged and the wing- 

 coverts spotted with rusty. Length 23.00-28.00, wing 8.35- 

 10.80, culmen 3.30-4.15, tarsus 3.20-4.15. Eggs 1.78 X 1-29. 

 Sab. "Warmer portions of eastern North America, north, casu- 

 ally, to New Jersey, Indiana, etc. ; whole of Mexico (including 

 Lower California) and "West Indies. 



199. A. tricolor ruficollis (Gosse). Louisiana Heron. 

 b % . Wing not more than 8.00; culmen and tarsus less than 3.00. 



Adult with scapular plumes and feathers of top of head moderately 

 lengthened, lanceolate, soft, and with compact webs ; jugular plumes 

 broad, soft, and blended ; color never white. (Subgenus Butorides 

 Bltth.) 

 d. Neck maroon-chestnut, rufous, or rusty. 



d 1 . Head and neck (except top of former) uniform chestnut-rufous, 

 without white markings on throat and fore-neck ; wing-coverts 

 very narrowly edged with rusty. Young: Plumage nearly 

 uniform rusty brown. "Wing 6.40-7.00, culmen 2.20-2.75, tarsus 

 1.85-2.30. Sab. Cuba. A. brunnescens Gtodl. Brown Heron. 1 



1 Ardea brunnescens "Gusdl. MSS.," Lehb. Aves de Cuba, 1850, 84, pi. 12. Butorides brunnescens Baied, 

 B. N. Am. 1858, 677 (in text). 



