878 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — HERODWNES - HERODIl. 



GARZETTA. (Ital. garzetta, Span, garceta, Port, garqota, a small or young heron, dimin. 

 ofltal. and Span, garza, a heron. Fig. Gl"4.) Small Egret Herons. Form of the pre- 

 ceding, but size small ; length about 24.00. Mandibular feathers not reaching as far forward 

 as those on culmen. Plumage always wliite; an occii)ital crest, and short recurved train of 



stiflP-shafted, loose-webbed feathers in the 

 bleeding season ; lower neck-feathers 

 lengthened, depending. (See figure of the 

 European species, G. nivea.) Our species is 

 generically separated from Garzetta by the 

 name oi Leiicophoyx Sharpe, 1894. Given 

 as subgenus of Ardea in A. 0. U. Lists. 

 G. candidis'siina. (Lat. candidissima, 

 \eiy white; Candida, white.) Little 

 White Egret. Snowy Heron. Bon- 

 net Martyr. Adult ^ ^, in breeding 

 dress : Long occipital crest of decomposed 

 ft .ithers, and similar scapular plumes, latter 

 ) ecurved v^heu perfect; similar, but not re- 

 curved plumes on lower neck, which is bare 

 behind. Lores, eyes, and toes yellow ; bill 

 uid legs black, former yellow at base, lat- 

 tti yellow on lower part beliiud ; claws 

 black. Plumage always entirely •white. 

 \()ung like adult in color, but lacking 

 plumes. Length about 24.00 ; extent 36.00- 

 40 00; wdng "9.50-11. 00; tail 4.00; bill 

 .3 00 or more ; tibise bare 2.50 ; tarsus 3.75 ; 

 middle toe 2.75. Southern United States; 

 Middle States, in summer ; N. occasionally 

 to New England, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and 

 southern British Columbia ; only occasional 

 in most of the West ; formerly common on 

 the coast of southern California. Was abun- 

 dant in its regular range. Resident in the 

 South and beyond through Mexico, Central 

 and much of South America ; breeds throughout its regular range. Eggs 3-5, 1 .Ql X 1 -25. 

 This is the Egret which has suffered most martyrdom from the plume-hunters, who have mer- 

 cilessly invaded and depopulated its heronries in the breeding season, threatening extermination 

 of the species in S(Mne places where it formerly abounded, as in Florida. 



HYDKANAS'SA. (Gr. vbap, hndor, water, giving in Lat. hydr- ; livaa-aa, anassa, a queen.) 

 American Demiegrets. Demoiselle Egrets. Of medium size : length under 30.00 or 

 36.00. Bill very slender, contracted from base toward middle, with almost a little concave 

 upper and under outline, then tapering to a point ; in length equalling or exceeding tarsus. 

 Toes comparatively short, the middle little more than half the tarsus. Adult with feathers of 

 head and neck lengthened, lanceolate, not decomposed, but witli well-defined edges ; an oc- 

 cipital crest of several, long, lanceolate plumes, not decomposed, and splendid scapular train of 

 decomposed, fringe-like feathers depending beyond tail. Not dichromatic, not white. As sub- 

 genus of Ardea in A. 0. U. Lists. 



H. tri'eolor ruficol'lis. (Lat. tricolor, three-colored ; ruficollis, rufous-necked ; rufus, ru- 

 fous, collum, neck. Fig. 615.) Louisiana Egret. Demoiselle. "Lady of the 



Fio. 614. — European Little White Egret, Garzttta nivea, 

 I nat. size. (From Brelun.) 



