ARDEIDtE — THE HERONS — DICHIIOMANASSA. 



33 



The very great difference in form between Demiegretta and the present genus may be more clearly 

 shown by the statement that while the bill and wing, as well as the general bulk, are nearly the 

 same in the two, Demiecjretta has the tarsus aljout 2.75 instead of 5.80 inches long, the middle toe 

 2.1U instead of 2.80, and the bare portion of the tibia 1.20 instead of 3.50 ! It will thus be seen 



D. rufa. 



that the proportions are entirely different in the two forms. The bill of Demiegretta is also very 

 much more obtuse than that of Dichromanassa. 



Demiegretta novce-hollandue (Lath.) is of more slender build than the type-species, and is scarcely 

 strictly congeneric ; but it is otherwise similar, especially in the character of the plumage. The 

 bill is more slender, approaching in form that of Hydranassa, but still different ; the legs are also 

 more elongated, but are decidedly less so than in tlie genus under consideration. 



Dichromanassa rufa. 



THE REDDISH EGRET; PEALE'S EGRET. 



a. Colored phase. 

 L' Aigrette rousse, de la Louisiane, Buff. PI. Enl. 1777-1784, pi. 902 (adult). 

 Ardea rufa, Bodd. Tabl. P. E. 1783, 54 (based on PI. Eid. 902). — CouES, Key, 1872, 268 ; Check 



List, 1873, no. 455. — Reichenow, J. f. 0. 1877, 269. 

 Demiegretta rufa, B.\ied, Birds N. Am. 1858, 662 ; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 483. 

 Dichromanassa rufa, Ridgw. Bull. U. S. Geol. & Geog. Surv. Terr. IV. no. 1, 1878, 236 (in text). — 



CouEs, Check List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 661. 

 Reddish Egret, Lath. Synop. III. 1785, 88 (quotes PL Enl. 902). 

 Ardea rufcscens, Gmel. S. N. I. ii. 1788, 628, no. 33 (based on PI. Enl. 902). — AuD. Orn. Biog. IIL 



1835, 411 ; V. 1839, 604, pi. 256 ; BirJs Am. YI. 1843, 139, pi. 371 (adult ; both phases). 

 Ardea cubensis, "Gundl. MSS." Lemb. Aves de Cuba, 1850, 84, pi. 13, lig. 1 (young). 

 Ardea rufa, var. Pcalei, Reichexow, J. f. 0. 1877, 270. 



h. White phase. 

 Ardea Pealei, BoxAP. Am. Lye. N. Y. II. 1826, 154. — Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 49, 

 Demiegretta Pealei, Baikd, B. N. Am. 1858, 661 ; Cat. N. Am. B. 1S59, no. 182. 

 VOL. I. — 5 



