CRESTED PURPLE HERON. 



551 



This elegant species has received no less than 

 six specific names from the pen of Latham, on 

 account of the changes it undergoes in arriving to 

 maturity: in this state it measures nearly three 

 feet in length : the occiput is garnished with 

 elongated greenish black feathers, the base of the 

 neck with purplish white ones, and the scapulars 

 with subulated brilliant red-purple plumes: the 

 top of the head and the occiput are black, glossed 

 with green : the throat is white : the sides of the 

 neck are of a clear red, with three longitudinal and 

 narrow stripes of black : the fore-part of the neck 

 longitudinally spotted with red, black, and purple : 

 the back, the wings, and the tail, are greyish red, 

 with green reflections : the thighs and the abdo- 

 men are red : the sides of the body and the breast 

 are rich purple : the beak and the naked skin 

 surrounding the eyes are yellow: the irides are 

 orange-yellow : the soles of the feet, the hinder 

 part of the tarsi, and the naked space above the 

 knee, are yellow : the fore-part of the tarsi, and 

 the scales of the toes, are brown-green. The young, 

 before they attain the age of three years, want the 

 crest, which is only indicated by a few elongated 

 reddish feathers : they also want the long feathers 

 at the base of the neck and on the scapulars : their 

 forehead is black : the nape and cheeks are bright 

 red : the throat is white : the fore-part of the neck 

 is yellowish white, with numerous longitudinal 

 black spots : the feathers of the back, the scapulars, 

 the wings, and the tail, are grey-black, edged with 

 bright red: the belly and thighs are whitish: the 



