Plate CCLVI. Adult and Young.
Feathers of the upper and hind part of the head and of the neck
generally, much elongated, very narrow, loose, with linear-acuminate
compact tips; of the back extremely long, slightly recurved, with
loose filaments, and extending several inches beyond the tail; bill
pale flesh-colour, with the terminal third black; feet ultramarine
blue, the scutella bluish-black; plumage of the head and neck light
reddish-brown; back and wings greyish-blue; long train-feathers
yellowish toward the end; lower parts greyish-blue, paler than the
upper. Young with the plumage white, the feet dusky green, the soles
yellow.
_Male_, 31, 46.
Resident on the Florida Keys, and in Galveston Bay. Never seen inland.
Extremely abundant.
Ardea rufescens, Gmel. Syst. Nat. v. i. p. 628.
Peale's Egret Heron, Ardea Pealii, Bonap. Amer. Orn. v. iv. p.
96. Young.
Peak's Egret, _Nutt._ Man. v. ii. p. 49. Young.
Reddish Egret, Ardea rufescens, _Aud._ Orn. Biog. v. iii. p.
411; v. v. p. 604.