406 ARDEIN^. 



GENUS III. ARDEA. HERON. 



Bill longer than the head, stout, straight, compressed, 

 tapering to a point, and with the edges sharp and serrulate. 

 Legs very long, rather slender ; tibia bare for more than a 

 third of its length ; tarsus anteriorly scutellate ; toes very 

 long ; claws moderately arched, compressed, acute. Wings 

 ample, the outer four quills nearly equal. Tail short, nearly 

 even, of twelve feathers. 



1. Arclea cinerea. The Grey Heron. Upper parts and 

 sides bluish-grey ; forehead white ; pendent occipital crest 

 black ; fore-neck white, with longitudinal black spots. 



2. Ardea purpurea. The Purple Heron. Upper parts 

 light greyish-blue ; edge of wing light red ; neck longitudi- 

 nally banded with greenish-black and light red ; tail black 

 toward the end. 



GENUS IV. EGRETTA. EGRET. 



Bill much longer than the head, strong but rather 

 slender, straight, compressed, tapering to a point, and with 

 the edges sharp and often serrulate. Legs extremely long, 

 slender ; tibia bare for half its length or more ; tarsus ante- 

 riorly scutellate ; toes long, slender ; claws arched, com- 

 pressed, acute. Wings ample, the outer three quills nearly 

 equal. Tail short, nearly even. Four longitudinal series of 

 very elongated feathers on the back. 



1. Egretta nigrirostris. Black-billed Egret. Length about 

 forty-four inches. Bill black; bare preocular space verdi- 

 gris-green ; plumage white. 



2. Egretta alba. Yellow-billed White Egret. Bill yellow ; 

 bare preocular space verdigris-green ; plumage white. 



3. Ardea Garzetta. Little White Egret. Length about 

 twenty-four inches. Bill black ; bare preocular space green ; 

 plumage white. 



4. Egretta russata. Buff-backed Egret. Hair-like fea- 

 thers of hind-head and neck and dorsal plumes reddish- 

 yellow ; fore part of breast and back pale cream-colour ; the 

 rest of the plumage white. 



