262 Messrs. A. and E. Newton's Observations 
how it will ever again get out. Even the common Humming 
Bird uf the island ( Eulampis chlorol&mus, Gould) will often give 
chase to it, and cause it to change the direction of its flight. It 
breeds from March to July, having certainly two broods in the 
year. The nest is usually placed in a tall tree, most generally a 
Tamarind, and often near houses; for the bird seems not only 
fond of the society of its fellows, but also to affect rather that of 
men. When on the wing, and seen from above, the back of 
this species appears almost of a sky-blue, which colour contrasts 
most agreeably with the golden-yellow of its outstretched legs. 
An adult female, shot April 18th, 1857, had the upper mandible 
and upper half of the lower mandible dark grey, the lower half 
yellowish horn-colour; the upper part of the lore bright king's- 
yellow, the lower part of it and the orbits greenish yellow; the 
iris bright yellow, deepening outwardly into red; the legs and 
toes yellowish green, soles and interdigital membranes bright 
yellow-ochre. Its stomach contained five lizards ( Anolis , sp. ?), 
one of them of a good size, one large cricket, besides a mass of 
elytra and other remains of beetles. The young in the down are 
black. The eggs, three or four in number, are of the beautiful 
sea-green common to most birds of this family, but paler than 
the average. 
Mr. G. It. Gray has kindly afforded us the opportunity of 
comparing our specimens with those in the British Museum 
from various localities in North America and the West Indies. 
There appears to be a pretty constant distinction between them, 
southern examples being decidedly smaller in size and of a 
more bluish hue than those from the north ; but we cannot say 
that this distinction amounts to a specific difference. Dr. Gund- 
lach has described (Lembeye, f Aves de la isla de Cuba/ tab. xii. 
p. 84) a Butorides under the name of Ardea brunnescens, from 
Cuba, which Dr. Cabanis considers (Journ. f. Orn. iv. p. 344) to 
be specifically distinct from the North American bird; and this 
may be the ordinary West Indian form. We have deposited ex¬ 
amples from St. Croix in the National Collection.' 
47. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. Nyctherodias vio- 
laceus, Beichenb. Ardea violacea , Linn.; Wils.- pi. 65. fig. 1 ; 
