264 
ARDEINjE. ARDEA. 
upper part of the head inclining to brown. Young with the upper 
parts light brownish-red, variegated with brownish-yellow ; primary 
quills and tail black. 
Male, 13i, 17|. Female, 12, wing 4|, 
Resident in Florida. Migrates in spring eastward as far as Maine, 
and throughout the Western Country, far up the Missouri. Retires 
southward in winter, Texas, 
Least Bittern, Ardea exilis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v, viii, p, 37. 
Ardea exilis, Bonap. Syn. p. 308. 
Least Bittern, Ardea e^dlis, Nutt, Man. v. ii. p. 66, 
Leall; Bittern, Ardea exilis, Aun. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 77 ; v. v. p. 606. 
369. 5. Ardea virescens, Linn. Green Heron. 
Plate CCCXXXIIL Male and Young. 
Bill rather slender ; feathers of the crown and occiput elongated, of 
the fore part of the back much elongated and acuminate. Upper part 
of the head and nape glossy deep green ; neck purplish-red behind, 
with an anterior longitudinal band of white, spotted with dusky brown ; 
elongated feathers of the back greyish-green, changing to bluish-grey, 
with the shafts bluish- white ; scapulars, wing-coverts, and inner secon- 
daries deep glossy green, bordered with yellowish- white ; primaries 
and outer secondaries greyish-blue tinged with green ; hind part of 
back and tail deep green ; lower parts pale purplish tinged with yel- 
low ; lower tail-coverts greyish- white. Young in first plumage with- 
out the elongated feathers on the back, otherwise similar, but with the 
wing-coverts tipped with a triangular white spot, the lower parts 
chiefly white with brown streaks. 
Male, 17|, 27. Female, 17, 25. 
Resident in the Floridas and along the Gulf of Mexico to Texas. In 
spring and summer disperses over the whole country as far as Maine, 
and up the Missouri. Returns southward at the approach of winter. 
V ery common. 
Green Heron, Ardea virescens, Wils. Amer. Om. v. viii. p. 97. 
Ardea virescens, Bonap. Syn. p. 307. 
Green Heron, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 63. 
Green Heron, Ardea virescens, Aud. Orn. Biog, v. iv. p. 274. 
* * * Bill much longer than the head, with its ^outline scarcely 
curved ; legs very long, tibise bare to a great extent ; feathers of the 
lower fore neck very long and tapering. Ardea and Egretta of authors. 
370. 6. Ardea occidentalis, Aud. Great White Heron. 
Plate CCLXXXI. Male. 
Bill, tibise, and hind part of tarsi yellow ; anterior part of the latter 
and toes dull green ; feathers of the head elongated, lanceolate, and 
loose, of the back not much elongated ; plumage entirely pure white. 
