88 
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT HERON, QUA-BIRD. 
tarsus covered anteriorly along its upper two-thirds with scutella, below 
and on the sides with large angular scales ; toes long and rather slender, 
scutellate above, flat beneath, marginate ; hind toe stout, fourth a little 
longer than second, third much longer ; claws of moderate size, stout, 
arched, compressed, rather acute, that of middle toe beautifully pectinate 
on the inner edge. 
Plumage soft, blended. Feathers of the upper and hind part of the head 
elongated and loose, with three very long, linear incurved occipital feathers, 
having'their webs inflected. The feathers of the neck, especially of its 
lower part and sides, are also elongated, the latter curved backwards. 
Wings of moderate length, broad, rounded ; primaries broad, rounded, the 
third longest, the first longer than the fourth. Tail short, slightly rounded, 
of twelve broad, rounded feathers. 
Bill black. Bare loral space and eyelids vellowish-green ; iris bright red. 
Feet yellow; claws brown. Feathers on the upper part of the head, the 
fore part of the back, and the scapulars, glossy blackish-green ; anterior 
part of forehead white; neck anteriorly white, on the sides and behind 
shaded into pale lilac, the lower elongated feathers tinged with cream- 
colour ; breast and abdomen white, similarly tinged. Wings, rump, and 
tail, light greyish-blue, tinged with lilac. 
Length to end of tail 25 r V inches, to end of wings 25' r f, to end of claws 
30 T 4 2 ; extent of wings 44 ; wing from flexure 131 ; tail 5; bill along the 
ridge S- 2 ,, along the edge of lower mandible 4 T 2 5 ; bare part of tibia lA; thrsns 
3^: middle toe 3; its claw ;§■. Weight 1 lb. 14 oz. 
Young after first moult. 
Bill and bare space about the eye yellowish-green, the ridge of the upper 
mandible, and part of the lower towards the end, black. Iris bright red. 
Feet pale greyish yellow. At this period the occipital feathers are not 
developed. The general colour of the upper parts is light greyish-brown, 
the edges of the feathers paler; that of the lower parts dull white, tinged 
with grey and cream colour, with the central part of each feather greyish- 
brown ; the feathers of the back and wings, as well as the secondary quills, 
have a long triangular spot of brownish-white at the end ; the rump and 
tail more tinged with bluish-grey. 
The Adult Female resembles the Male. 
Amaryllis Atamasco, Willd. Sp. PL, vol. ii. p. 51. Pursh, Flora Amer. Sept., 
vol. i. p. 222. 
This species, which grows in swamps, and moist woods, in Virginia and 
