128 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



tipped with rufous ; wing about 4.85, culmen 2.00. Hah. Southern South 

 America. 



B. involucris (Vieill.). Azara's Least Bittern.^ 



Genus ARDEA Linn^us. (Page 126, pis. XXXIY.to XXXYI.) 



Species. 



{Nest of coarse sticks, placed usually in trees. Eggs plain bluish green, vary- 

 ing in depth of color.) 



a}. Culmen decidedly shorter than tarsus, the latter more than one and a half times 

 as long as the middle toe (without claw). 

 h^. Tarsus much less than twice as long as middle toe (without claw). 

 c\ Wing more than 13.00. 



d}. Wing more than 17.00. Adult with scapular plumes narrowly 

 lanceolate, with compact webs ; head crested, the occiput 

 during pairing season with two or more long, slender, com- 

 pactly webbed plumes ; plumes of lower neck stiffened, nar- 

 rowly lanceolate, or acicular. (Subgenus Ardea.') 

 e'. Color entirely pure white ; length 45.00-54.00, wing 17.00- 

 21.00, culmen 6.00-7.00, tarsus 8.00-8.75. Eggs 2.60 X 

 1.84. Hah. Southern Florida, chiefly on eastern side ; 

 Cuba ; Jamaica ? 



192. A. occidentalis Aud. Great White Heron. 

 e^ Color nearly uniform bluish gray above, lower parts strijDed 

 with black and white. 

 p. Thighs and edge of wing cinnamon-rufous. 



g^. Lower parts white, narrowly striped or streaked with 

 black ; tarsus more than 8.50 ; legs and feet olive 

 in adult. 

 1\}. Adult with head entirely white, the forehead 

 streaked with blackish. Young : Forehead 

 and crown dull slate-color, narrowly streaked 

 with white ; feathers of occiput white with 

 dusky tips ; wing-coverts spotted with rusty, 

 the lower and more posterior with large 

 wedge-shaped white spots. Length 48.00- 

 50.00, wing 20.00-21.00, culmen 5.95-6.50, 

 tarsus 7.95-8.25. Eggs about 2.60 X 1-84. 

 Hah. Florida Keys and Cape Florida; Ja- 

 maica?; accidental in southern Illinois (Mount 

 Carmel, Sept. 11-22, 1876)... — . A. wuerde- 

 manni Baird. Wurdemann's Heron.^ 

 ^^ Adidt with occiput and sides of crown black (as 



1 Ardea involucris Vieill., Enc. M6th. 1823, 1127. Ardetta involucris ScL. &, Salv., P. Z. S. 1869, 634. 



