10 
ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 
greenish Prussian blue. They measure 2.23 inches in length by 1.85 inches in 
breadth. 
Mr. 1ST. B. Moore deems it highly probable that the birds now standing as A. Wur- 
demanni may prove to he only a rare and elegant variety of herodias. He was led 
to this conclusion by examining, at a distance of about a hundred yards, a flock of 
Herons which seemed to him to correspond with the description of this rare variety, 
and yet to be rather varieties of, than a species differing from, the true herodias. We 
abridge His account : Seated in shade of a bunch of “ saw-grass,” near a pond about 
half a mile from Sarasota Bay, Feb. 20, 1874, he saw a Great Blue Heron descend and 
perch on a bush. By the aid of a spy-glass he was able to see, on what seemed to be 
a true A. herodias , an occipital white plume nearly four inches in length. In a few 
minutes three others appeared ; one had a head that was pure white in every part, 
and occipital plumes of the same color, six or seven inches long. 
He spent the remainder of the day watching their movements, and at about sun- 
down the strange birds rose and flew away towards the north without coming within 
the reach of his gun or nearer than about eighty yards. During five hours of obser- 
vation he saw it in every position and under every possible direction of sunbeam and 
shadow. The head was entirely a pure white, as were also the occipital streamers. 
The lower parts appeared to be whiter than those of its adult companion. The 
upper parts of shoulders, back, and lanceolate plumes seemed rather lighter and 
more silvery than those of the other. The tibial feathers in both were rufous, and 
both had black at the lower neck where uncovered at the carpus. The upper parts 
of the neck in both were washed in cinnamon, and both had the neck below an ashy 
lilac. Had he seen it by itself or in any other company than A. herodias , he would 
have unhesitatingly regarded it as an elegant specimen of A. Wicrdemanni. 
Applying what he considers a never-failing test — the habits of Herons in general 
when in company with those of their own species — Mr. Moore was sure that this 
bird was an A. herodias A At this season this bird, the most unsocial of all the Herons, 
will admit to the same pond, to feed in sight of it, one or more of its kind ; but its 
disposition to tease and harass all but its mate is occasionally exhibited, and occurred 
repeatedly here. These appeared to be migrants moving north. One was a young 
bird of the first year. None of the others attempted to annoy it until it chanced to 
pierce a siren, when the master bird, in the true dress of an herodias , rushed at it 
and caused it to liberate its prey. The one with a white head when pursued seemed 
to act as if in deference to its companion, and to approach it, though not very near. 
On being teased it seemed to submit, as if well acquainted with its oppressor. These 
Herons came from the south, were evidently strangers, and moved on toward the 
north. The young bird was the last to leave, but soon followed its companions. 
Ardea Wardi. 
WARD’S GREAT BLUE HERON. 
Arclea Wardi , Rinow. Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, Vol. VII. No. 1, January, 1882, p. 5 (Oyster Bay, South- 
western Florida). 
Sp. Char. Colored phase exactly like A. Wiirclemanni (= dark phase of A. occiclentalis ?), hut 
with the head colored as in A. herodias. Differing from herodias in much larger size (culmen, 
1 Mr. Moore’s observations in respect to this matter do not correspond at all with the experience of 
others. His inferences are doubtless incorrect, and the birds he saw were in all probability A. “ Wiirde- 
rnanni ” and A. Wardi. — R. R. 
