Plate CCXXXVI. Adult and Young.
Male with the feathers of the upper and hind part of the head
elongated and loose, three or four very long linear, incurved
occipital feathers, not present in winter; upper part of the head and
back glossy blackish-green; anterior part of forehead and elongated
occipital feathers white; neck anteriorly yellowish-white, on the
sides and behind shaded into pale lilac, the lower elongated feathers
tinged with cream-colour; breast and abdomen white; wings, rump, and
tail light greenish-blue, tinged with lilac. Female similar. Young,
when fledged, with the upper parts pale purplish-brown, streaked and
spotted with yellowish-white; lower parts yellowish-white, streaked
with light purplish-brown. Young after first moult purplish-brown,
tinged with grey above, brownish-white beneath, the upper part of the
head dull greenish-black.
_Male_, 25-7/12, 44.
Resident in the Floridas and Texas, where it breeds. Migrates in
spring eastward as far as Maine, up the Mississippi to Memphis. Occurs
one hundred miles inland. Rather common. Returns southward early in
autumn.
Night Heron or Qua-Bird, Ardea Nycticorax, Wils. Amer. Orn. v.
vii. p. 3.
Ardea Nycticorax, Bonap. Syn. p. 306.
Qua-Bird or American Night Heron, Ardea discors, Nutt. Man. v.
ii. p. 54.
Night Heron, Ardea Nycticorax, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii. p. 275;
v. v. p. 600.