ARDEID.E — THE HERONS — G-ARZETTA. 



27 



same pair. When the nest is on a tall tree, the young remain in it or on the branches 

 until they are able to fly ; but Avhen it is near the water or ground, they leave much 

 sooner. 



The number of eggs in a nest in Florida, according to Audubon, is invariably 

 three. According to Wilson, in New Jersey the number is four or Ave. Audubon 

 gives their size as two and a (quarter inches in length and one and five eighths in 

 breadth, and their color a pale blue, Avhich soon fades. Two eggs in my collection, 

 obtained in Florida by Dr. Bryant, measiire, one 2.30 X 1.52 inches ; the other 2.28 

 X 1.60 inches. They are oval in shape, nearly equal at either end, and their color is 

 that uniform unspotted Avashing or faint shading of greenish Prussian blue, common 

 to all our herons, the two bitterns alone excepted. 



Genus GARZETTA, Kaup. 



Garzetta, Kaup, Nat. Syst. Eur. Tliierw. 1829, 76. Bonap. Consp. II. 1855, 118 (type, Ardca 

 garzctta, Linn.). 



GrEN. C!har. Small white Herons, crested at all ages and seasons, and in the nuptial season 

 adorned with jugular and dorsal plumes. Bill slender, very little compressed, the cnlmen decidedly 

 but ascending ; the lower edge of the raandibidar rami straight or appreciably concave. Mental 

 curved for the terminal half, somewhat depressed for the basal half ; the gonys nearly straight, 



G, candidissima. 



apices falling far short of reaching half-way from the middle of the eye to the point of the bill ; 

 malar apices reaching just as far as the frontal apices, and falling far short of the posterior end of 

 the nostrils. Toes short, the middle one but little more than one half the tarsus, the hallux 

 about one half its length ; bare portion of tibia nearly three fourths as long as the tarsus. Tarsal 

 scutellse as in Herodias. 



Nuptial plumes adoriung the occiput, jugulum, and back ; these, in the American species, all 

 of similar structure, having decomposed webs ; but in the OLl World species, those of the occiput 

 andjugidum narrow and with compact webs. Dorsal plumes (in all species) reaching but little 

 beyond the tail, and sti'ongly recurved at ends. 



