AilDEID.E — THE HERONS. 3 



quently with ornamental plumes. Plumage generally handsome and variegated. 

 Two to three pairs of powder-down tracts. Other characters variable. 



The Herons are among the most widely diffused of birds, one species, our common 

 Night Heron {X>jctlcorax griseus), being nearly or quite cosmopolitan. Many of the 

 Old World forms have not been examined in the present connection, but there 

 is good reason for believing that the number of sub-families here recognized as 

 represented in America can be consistently increased. 



Sub-tamily Ardeinae. Outer toe equal to, or decidedly longer than, the inner. Claws usually 

 short, generally strongly curved. Three pairs of powder-down tracts. Rectrices lengthened, 

 stiffi.sh, twelve in nuudjer (except in Zebrilus). 



Sub-family Botaurinae. Outer toe decidedly shorter than the inner. Claws long, slender, slightly 

 curved. Two pairs only of powder-down tracts. Rectrices very short, soft, only ten in number. 



Synopsis of American Genera.^ 



a. Sub-family ARDEINAE. — The True Herons. 

 A. Eectrices twelve; tibice icith the lower fortion more or less naked, 

 a. Pectoral and inguinal powder-down tracts widely separated. 

 §. Malar region completely feathered (except in Pilherodius, where anterior part is bare). Bill 

 shorter than the tarsus and middle toe (usually shorter thaii, or about eipial to, the tarsus). 



1. Ardea. Size very large. Adult with scapular plumes elongated, narrowly-lanceolate, and 



with compact webs ; in the breeding season, the occiput with two long, slender, compact- 

 webbed, pendant plumes. Color mainly plumbeous- or slate-blue (rarely — e. g. white 

 phase of A. occidentalis — wholly pui'e white). Culmen shorter than the middle toe. 



2. Herodias. Size large, but smaller than the species of the preceding genus. Adult with 



the scapular plumes greatly elongated, reaching far beyond the end of the tail, the shafts 

 thick and rigid, the we1)S decomposed, hair-like, and distant. Color entirely pure white. 



3. Garzetta. Size small. Adult with occipital, jugular, and scapular plumes, the latter 



reaching to or a little beyond the end of the tail ; the shafts moderately rigid, and re- 

 curved terminally ; the webs decomposed, with long, hair-like, but not distant hbres 

 Other plumes varying in structure, according to the species. Color entirely pure white. 

 4 Dichromanassa. Size medium. Adult with the feathers of the entire head and neck, 

 excepting the throat and foreneck, elongated, linear, lanceolate, and stiffish, most elon- 

 gated on the occiput and jugulum. Scapular plumes extending beyond end of tail ; the 

 shafts rigid, the webs decomposed, with rather close, hair-like fibrillar. Color wholly 

 pure white, or plumbeous, with or without reddish neck. Tarsus twice as long as 

 middle toe. _ 



5. Hydranassa. Size medium. Adult with an occipital tuft of several elongated, lanceolate 



white feathers. Jugular feathers broadly lanceolate, with distinct outlines. Scapular 

 plumes hair-like, extending a little beyond the tail. Color mainly plumbeous, with lower 

 parts and rump white. Bill longer than tarsus. 



6. Florida. Size small. Adult with scapular plumes eloni^^ated, extending to or beyond end 



of tail, linear-lanceolate, with compact webs ; jugular plumes similar ; occipital plumes 

 hair-like, a few of them much elongated. Color pure white, with bluish tips to outer 

 primaries, dark slate-blue with maroon-colored head and neck, or variously " patched " 

 with blue and white. 



7. Butorides. Size small. Adult with scapular plumes elongated, compact- webbed, lance- 



olate, but with rounded tips. Feathers of the pileum elongated, lanceolate. Jugular 

 plumes broad, blended. Culmen longer than tarsus ; middle toe almost equal to tarsus. 

 Color much variegated. 



1 The genera enclosed in brackets are extralimital. 



