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. 366. 2. Ardea violacea, Linn. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. Plate CCCXXXVI. Male and Young. Male with the feathers on the upper part of the head lanceolate and acuminate, those on the occiput very long and linear; between the scapulæ two longitudinal series of very elongated feathers with loose margins, the longest extending far beyond the tail; occipital and dorsal plumes not present in winter; head and throat greenish-black, crown and band on each side below the eye white, the former tinged with reddish-yellow; general colours light greyish-blue; the feathers of the fore part of the back and wings with their central parts bluish-black, margined with bluish-white; quills and tail dark greyish-blue; edge of wings white. Female similar. Young in its first plumage dark greyish-white, beneath dull yellowish-white, streaked with dark brown. _Adult_, 23-1/2, 43-1/2. _Young_ in October 23-1/2, 40. A few spend the winter in Florida. Migrates in spring as far as New Jersey, up the Mississippi to Natchez. Never goes far inland. Not very abundant. Migratory. Yellow-crowned Heron, Ardea violacea, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p. 26. Ardea violacea, Bonap. Syn. p. 306. White-crowned Heron, Nutt. Man. v. ii. p. 52. Yellow-crowned Heron, Ardea violacea, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 290. Bitterns. Bill considerably longer than the head, stout, tapering, compressed, with the upper outline slightly curved; legs of moderate length, bare part of tibia short; neck thick; body exceedingly compressed; feathers of the neck elongated and curved backwards. Trachea and bronchi wider. 367. 3. Ardea lentiginosa, Swains. American Bittern. Plate CCCXXXVII. Male and Female.