Plate CCCXXXIII. 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
secondaries 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 yellow; lower tail-coverts greyish-white. Young in first plumage
without 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_, 17-3/4, 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. Very
common.
Green Heron, Ardea virescens, Wils. Amer. Orn. 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, tibiæ bare to a great extent; feathers
of the lower fore neck very long and tapering. Ardea and
Egretta of authors.