ARDEID.E — THE HERONS — NY CTHERODIUS. 
61 
half the length of the latter ; outer toe decidedly longer than inner ; hallux slightly longer than 
the first phalanx of the middle toe ; hare portion of tibia as long as the outer toe ; tarsal scutellse 
with a tendency to form transverse plates on the upper half, in front ; claws exceedingly short, 
strongly curved, and blunt. Inner webs of two outer primaries emarginated near the end ; tail of 
N. violaceus. 
twelve broad, moderately hard feathers ; interscapular plumes greatly elongated (extending beyond 
the tail), narrow, the plumuhe threadlike and soft, and separated outwardly. Occipital plumes 
linear, flattened, longer than the head and bill, when fully developed, half a dozen or more in 
number, and graduated in length. 
•f- Nyctherodius violaceus. 
THE WHITE-CROWNED NIGHT HERON. 
Ardca stellaris cristata amcricana, Catesby, Carolina, 1754, pi. 79 (adult). 
Bihoreau, dc Cayenne, Buff. PI. Enl. 1770-84, pi. 899 (adult). 
Ardca violacea, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, I. 1758, 143, no. 12 (ex Catesby, l.e.) ; ed. 12, I. 1766, 238, no. 
16. — Wils. Am. Orn. VIII. 1814, 26, pi. 65. — Nutt. Man. 11. 1834, 52. — Aud. Orn. Biog. 
IV. 1838, 290, pi. 336 ; Synop. 1839, 262; Birds Am. VI. 1843, 89, pi. 364 (adult and young). 
Nyctiardea violacea, Swains. Classif. B. II. 1837, 354. — Coites, Key, 1872, 269 ; Check List, 1873, 
no. 459. 
Nyctherodius violaceus, Reichenb. Syst. Av. 1851, p. xvi. —Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 679 ; Cat. 
N. Am. B. 1859, no. 496. — Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 496. — Coues, Check List, 2d 
ed. 1882, no. 665 ( Nycterodius ). 
Cayenne Night Heron, Lath. Synop. III. 1785, 56 (quotes PI. Enl. 899). 
Ycllow-crowncd Night Heron, Latii. t.c. 80. 
Ardca caycnncnsis, Gmel. S. N. I. ii. 1788, 626, no. 31 (based on PI. Enl. 899). 
Ardca sexsetacea, Vieill. Enc. Meth. III. 1823, 1130 (Reichenow). 
Ardca calloccpliala, Wagl. Syst. Av. 1827, Anlea, sp. 34 (Reichenow). 
Hab. Warm-temperate Eastern North America, West Indies, Middle America, and Northern 
South America, breeding north to Southern Illinois and Indiana. On Atlantic coast north to 
Pennsylvania (rare). West to Colorado, south to Western Ecuador and the Amazonian region. 
Bermudas. 
