28 ALTRICIAL GRALLATOKES — HERODIONES. 



Of the extralimital species of this genus we have only G. nivea, G-mel., of Europe at hand for 

 comparison. This species bears a close general resemblance to G. candidissima, being of nearly the 

 same size, and having exactly similar scapuUir plumes. The jugular plumes, however, are acicular 

 and somewhat rigid, instead of hairlike, with decomposed webs; while the occipital plumes are 

 entirely different, tliere being two very long, narrow feathers springing from the occiput, very 

 much like those of the species of Ardea. The differences between the two species are more 

 precisely expressed in the following table : — 



Com. Char. Plumage wholly pure white at all ages and seasons. Dorsal plumes reaching 

 to about the end of the tail, their shafts rigid and more or less strongly recurved at ends, the webs 

 decomposed, with the hlnilla; hairlike, and rather widely separated. 



1. G. caudidissima. Occipital crest composed of numerous elongated feathers with their 



webs decomposed and hairlike; jugular plumes similar. Bill black, yellow at base; iris 

 and eyelids yellow ; tibiae and tarsi black, the lower part of the latter, with toes, yellow. 

 Culmen, 2.08-3.55 ; tarsus, 3.30-4.40 ; wing, 8.20-10.50. Hab. Warmer parts of America. 



2. G. nivea.i Occipital crest composed of two or three long, slender, decurved or pendant 



plumes, with compact webs ; jugular plumes acicular, somewhat rigid. Bill black, the 

 base light green ; tibia and upper half of tarsi black : lower half of latter, with toes, 

 greenish-yellow. Culmen, 3.25-3.75 ; tarsus, 3.60-4.00 ; wing, 10.75. Hab. Europe and 

 parts of Asia and Africa. 



3. G. immaculata.- Similar to G. nivea, but without occipital crest, and with the toes 



blackish. Culmen, 3.70 ; tarsus, 3.75. Hab. Australia. 



Garzetta candidissima. 



THE SNOWY HERON. 



Ardea nivea, Jacq. Beitr. 1784, 18, no. 13 (not of S. G. Gmel. 1770-1774). — Lath. Ind. Orn. 11. 



1790, 696 (part). 

 Little White Heron, Lath. Synop. III. 1785, 93. 



Little Egret, Lath. Synop. III. 1785, 90 (part ; includes also G. nivea). 

 Ardea candidissima, Gmel. S. N. I. ii. 1788, 633, no. 45. — Wils. Am. Orn. VII. 1813, 120, pi. 62, 



fig. 4. — NuTT. Man. II. 1834, 49. — Am. Orn. Biog. III. 1835, 317 ; V. 1839, 606, pi. 242 ; 



Synop. 1839, 267; Birds Am. VI. 1843, 163, pi. 374. — Coites, Key, 1872, 267; Check List, 



1873, 89, no. 453 ; Birds N. W. 1874, 521. — Reichexoav, J. f. 0. 1877, 273. 

 Garzetta candidissima, Boxap. Consp. II. 1855, 119. — Baird, Birds X. Am. 1858, 665; Cat. N. 



Am. B. 1859, no. 485. — Ridgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 490. — CouES, Check List, 2d ed. 



1882, no. 659. 

 Ardea oula, Gmel. S. X. I. ii. 1788, 633 (Chili). 

 Ardea thula, L.vrn. lud. Orn. II. 1791, 688. 

 Ardea carolinensis, Ord. ed. Wils. VII. 1825, 125. 

 Ardea lactea, " Cuv." Less. Traite, I. 1831, 575 (Cayenne). 



Hab. The whole of temperate and tropical America, from the northern United States to Chili 

 and Buenos Ayres ; summer or autumnal visitant only at the northern and southern extremes of 

 its range. West Indies. 



Sp. Char. Length, about 20.00-24.00 ; expanse of wings, about 36.00-40.00 ; wing, 8.20- 

 10.50 ; tail, 3.00-4.80 ; culmen, 2.08-3.65 ; depth of bill, .40-.55 ; tarsus, 3.15-4.50 ; middle 



1 Garzetta nivea, Gmel. The Little Egret of Europe. 



Ardea garzetta, Linn. S. N. I. 1766, 237. — Naum. Vrig. Deutschl. IX. 1838, 101, pi. 223. 

 Egretta garzetta, Macgill. Hist. Brit. B. IV. 1852, 471 (Little White Egret). 

 Ardea nivea, S. G. Gmel. Nov. Comm. Petrop. XV. 458, pi. 17. 

 Herodias niven, Breiim, Vog. Deutschl. p. 587. 

 Herodias juhata, Buehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 586. 



2 Garzetta immaculata, Gould. Australian Little Egi-et. 



Herodias immaculata, Gould, B. Australia, vol. VI. 1S48, pi. 58. 



