ARDEA. 159 
ARDEA. 
Ardea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 283 (1766) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 66 (1898). 
In our arrangement of the Herons we prefer to follow the classification of the 
American ornithologists, who group these birds and the Kgrets under one comprehensive 
genus Ardea, with a due recognition of the subgeneric divisions—AHerodias, Florida, 
Dicromanassa, Hydranassa, and Butorides, all of which are characterized as distinct 
genera in the ‘ Catalogue of Birds’ by Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, who also separates Agamia 
from the genus Ardea. 
The following sections or subgenera may be recognized :— 
a. Bare portion of tibio-tarsus equal to or exceeding the length of the inner toe 
and claw; edge of mandibles distinctly serrated, with a faintly indicated 
notch before the tip of the maxilla; no dorsal train; head crested with 
ornamental plumes on the nape . . . . woe ee ew ew wee.) «Arden. 
b. Mandibles not serrated near the ends, the maxilla with a distinct sub-terminal 
notch; bill long, but the culmen not exceeding the length of the middle toe 
and claw; no crest-plumes, but a well-developed dorsal tram . . . . . Herodias. 
c. Bill as above, but with long crest-plumes and a dorsal train reaching beyond 
the tail; on the breast elongated ornamental plumes. Young birds white . Florida. 
d. Bill long, the culmen exceeding the length of the middle toe and claw; tarsus 
longer than bill, twice the length of the outer toe and claw; dorsal train 
extending far beyond the tail; nuchal crest and neck-frill composed of very 
long lanceolate feathers like the ornamental plumes of the breast . . . . Dichromanassa. 
é. Bill as above; tarsus moderately long, not twice the length of the outer toe and 
claw ; a very dense dorsal train of decomposed feathers. Plumage white . Leucophoyz. 
f. Bill longer than tarsus, dorsal train extending beyond the tail; nape crested 
and continued into the neck-frill; nuchal crest-feathers very broad, as also 
the ornamental plumes of the fore-neck re . Hydranassa. 
g. Bare portion of the tibio-tarsus less than the length of the i inner toe; billy very 
long, and equal to the length of the tarsus and the middle toe and claw 
combined 2. 2 w/e ee ee ee ee ee we Again, 
4 . Ardea herodias*. 
Ardea herodias, Linn. Syst. Nat.i. p. 237°; Sel. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 226°; Cass. Pr. Acad. Philad. 
1860, p. 196°; Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. Y. vill. p. 12°; ix. pp. 142’, 210°; Mem. Bost. Soc. 
N. H. ii. p. 810"; Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4, p. 48°; Salv. Ibis, 1865, p. 193°; Cat. 
Strick]. Coll. p.515°°; Grayson, Pr. Bost. Soc. N. H. xiv. p. 285”; Dugés, La Nat. i. 
p. 142”; Frantz. J.f. Orn. 1869, p. 376”; Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 233; Nutting, Pr. U.S. 
Nat. Mus. vi. p. 8379”; Herrera, La Nat. (2) i. pp. 185 °°, 327°"; Stone, Pr. Acad. Philad. 
1890, p. 203°; , Cherie, Auk, 1892, p. 329"; Richm. Pr. U. 8S, Nat. Mus. xvi. p. 527”; 
ey 
* Mr. Frank M. Chapman has recently separated (April 1901) the Great Blue Heron of N.W. America as 
Ardea herodias fannini. 
