BIRDS ARDEIDAE NYCTHERODIUS VIOLACEUS. 
679 
Specimens are sometimes nearly pure white beneath. In two from California the green 
feathers of the occiput extend further back on the nape, behind the insertion of the long white 
plume, instead of the hinder ones being inserted in line with this. The black tips to these 
plumes, mentioned by Bonaparte, I have never seen. 
An immature bird differs in having the green of the back and head replaced by dull chocolate 
brown ; the coverts with spots of whitish ; the neck and under parts streaked with dusky. The 
quills have a chocolate red tinge, tipped with whitish. Still younger specimens have all the 
feathers above with terminal spots of whitish. 
The American night heron is similar to the European N. grisea, but is larger, the bill 
stouter. The young birds have the quills with an apical white spot, not found in the European. 
(Bonaparte.) 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex and 
age. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by — 
Length. 
Stretch 
ofwings 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
1670 
4270 
4269 
4150 
4151 
4149 
4148 
5113 
9889 
9888 
5564 
O 
O 
a 
9 
April 27,1853 
April 3,1853 
Capt. Van Vliet 
do 
3 
29 
26.00 
25.00 
33.25 
33.75 
43.00 
44.00 
42.50 
42.50 
12.50 
12.50 
Pesquieria Grainle,N.Leon 
May, 1853.... 
12.75 
12.75 
Eye crimson ; bill 
blue and yellow. 
O ' 
9 
a 
H.B.Miillhausen. 
June 18,1856 
81 

NYCTHERODIUS, Reich. 
Nyctherodius, Reichenb. Naturl. Syst. Vcigel, in Systema Avium, 1853, p. xvi. Type Jirdea violacea, L. 
Nycticorax, Boie, Isis, 1826. Not of Stephens and Moehring. 
Ch. — Bill very thick and stout, Loth outlines much and about equally curved ; commissure nearly straight. Tarsi moderate \ 
the scales, except anteriorly above, strongly hexagonal ; middle toe considerably shorter than tarsus ; outer lateral rather the 
longer ; claws small, obtuse, much curved. Tail of twelve broad feathers. Head with the occipital feathers elongated ; a few 
much longer. Scapulars and interscapulars lanceolate, the latter reaching to end of tail. 
NYCTHERODIUS VIOLACEUS, Reich. 
Yellow-crowned Night Heron. 
Jirdea violacea, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 238.— Gmel. I, 631.— Lath. Ind. II, 690.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 
1814,26 ; pi. lxv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 196.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 290 ; pi. 336.— Ib. 
Syn. 262.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 89 ; pi. 364. 
Jirdea (Botaurus) violacea, Bonap. Specchio, 1827, No. 177.— Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 52. 
Nyctiardea violacea, Swainson, Birds, IT, 1837, 354. 
Nycticorax violaceus, Bonap. 
Nyctherodius violaceus , Reichenb. Syst. Av. 1853, p. xvi. — Bonap. Conspectus, II, 1855, 142 — Gundlach, Cab. 
Jour. IV, 1856, 346. 
Jirdea jamaicensis, Gmf.lin, I, 1788, 625. 
Jirdea cayanensis, Gmelin, I, 1788, 626. 
" Jirdea sexsetacea, Vieii.l. Diet." 
" Jirdea callocephala, Wagler." 
Yellmv-croicned heron, Pennant. 
Ch. — Neck and body uniform grayish plumbeous ; the head bluish black ; the hood and a broad patch on the side of the 
head yellowish white. Interscapular and scapular feathers dusky, edged with grayish plumbeous. Length, 24 .00 ; wing, 12.00 ; 
tarsus, 3.70 ; bill above, 2.78. Hah.— South Atlantic and Gulf States ; South America. 
