ARDEID.E - THE HERONS — ARDEA. 5 



the nostrils and slightly anterior to the malar apex.^ Middle toe more than half the tarsus, and 

 about equal to bare portion of tibia ; outer toe reaching to about the middle of the penultimate 

 phalanx of the middle toe ; inner toe decidedly shorter, reaching only to the second articulation of 

 the middle toe ; hallux a little longer than the basal phalanx of the outer toe ; claws rather short. 



A. herodias 



strongly curved. Front of tarsus with broad, transverse scutella), in single series, for upper half. 

 Pileum crested, the feathers of the crown and occiinxt being elongated, lanceolate, and decurved. 

 Primaries reaching decidedly beyond tertials. Second, third, and fourth quills nearly equal, and 

 longest ; first longer than fifth ; inner webs of outer three slightly sinuated near ends. 



Synopsis of the American Species.^ 



Com. Char. Above bluish-plumbeous, the penicillate scapular plumes more hoary ; remiges 

 and rectrices slate-color. Lower parts longitudinally striped with black and white. Young with- 

 out any plumes, and with the colors much duller, the pattern badly defined. 



A. Tibice and border of the wing purplish-cinnamon or rufous. 



1. A. occideutalis. Pileum and occipital plumes, with rest of head, white ; forehead streaked 



with black. Somctivics ichole plumage pure white! Culmen, 6.40-6.75; tarsus, 8.00- 

 8.75 ; wing, 19.00-21.00. Hah. Florida to Southern Illinois ; Cuba ; Jamaica. 



2. A. Wardi. Similar to A. occidentalism the white phase apparently undistinguishable, but 



colored phase combining the head-pattern of A. herodias with light-colored under-parts 

 and large size of " Wilrdemanni." Culmen, 6.50-7.00 ; tarsus, 8.50-9.00 ; wing, 20.00- 

 20.50. Hnh. Southwestern Florida. 



3. A. herodias. Pileum and occipital plumes Uack ; forehead and central feathers of the 



crown white ; culmen, 4.30-6.25 ; tarsus, 6.00-8.25 ; wing, 17.90-20.00. Hah. North 

 America in general ; Middle America ; Galapagos ; Venezuela ; West Indies. 



1 The terms "mental apex," "malar apex,'" and "frontal apex" are here employed to denote the 

 apices, or points, of the feathering of the head at the base of the bill. 



2 Of the exotic species properly referable to this genus, we have seen only A. ]mrpurea, Linn. (Euro- 

 pean). This seems to be strictly congeneric as to details of form, except that the claws are much length- 

 ened ; but it has a very different system of coloration. 



