80 



S. Ardea herodias *. 



The Ash-coloured Heron from North America, Edwards, Nat. Hist. 



B. iii. p. 135, pi. 135 (1740). 

 The Largest Crested Heron, Catesby, Nat. Hist. Carol. App. pi. 10. 



fig. 1 (1743). 

 Le Heron de la Bave de Hudson, Briss. Orn. v. p. 407 (1760) ; Buff. 



Hist. Nat. Ois. vii. p. 386 (1780). 

 Le Heron hupe de Virginie, Briss. Orn. v. p. 416 (1760). 

 Ardea herodias, Linn. Si/st. Nat. i. p. 237 (1766) ; Gm. >Si/st. Nat. i. 



p. 630 (1788) ; iVilson, Amer. Orn. viii. p. 28, pi. 65. fig. 2 (1814) ; 



Temm. Man. d'Orn. ii. p. 566 (1820) ; Audub. B. Avier. pi. ccxi. 



(c. 1826); Wagl. Syst. At: p. 173 (1827); Stvains. ^- Richards. 



Faun. Bor.-Amer., Birds, p. 373 (1831) ; Avdvb. Orn. Biogr. iii. 



p. 87 (1835) ; id. o^x cit. v. p. 599 (1839) ; id. B. Amer. 8vo, vi. 



p. 122, pi. ccclxix. (1839) ; (COrbiijn. in Ramon de la Sagra, Hist. 



Nat. Ois. p. 199 (1839) ; Gould, in Darwin's Voy. ^Beagle,' Birds, 



* I have been unable to speak decidedly in reference to Ardea wurdcmanni 

 and A. wardi, for lack of material. The following is the synonymy of the 

 two supposed species ; — 



Ardea wuedemanni. 



Ardea wurdemanni, Baird, B. N. Amer. p. 669 (1858), pi. 86 (1860); 

 Coues, Key N. Amer. B. p. 267 (1872) ; Maynard, B. East. N. Amer. 

 p. 407 (1879) ; Vary, Auk, iii. p. 408 (1886: S.W. Florida), iv. p. 159 

 (1887: Cape Sable); Bidqu: Man. N. Amer. B. p. 128 (1887); Scott, 

 Auk, vi. p. 16 (1889 : Cape Eoniano and Cape Sable), ix. p. 211 (1892). 



Ardea occidentalis, part., Baird, Brewer, ^- Ridgw. Water. B. N. Amer. p. 6 

 (1884) ; Coues, Key N. Amer. B. 2nd ed. p. 658 (1884). 



According to Mr. Eidgway (Man. p. 128), the adult has the " head entirely 

 white, the forehead streaked with blackish." In the young, "the forehead and 

 crown are dull slate-colour, narrowly streaked with white, the feathers of the 

 occiput white, with dusky tips ; wing-coverts spotted with rusty, the lower and 

 more posterior with large wedge-shaped white spots." Length about 50 inches, 

 wing 20-21, culmen 595-65, tarsus 7 95-8-25. 



Hah. Florida Keys and Cape Florida. Accidental in Illinois. 



Specimens sent by Mr. W. E. D. Scott to Messrs Salvin and Godman, as 

 A. wurdemanni, appear to me to be absolutely identical with A. herodias. 

 Mr. Eidgway says that in the latter bird the lower parts are " black or dusky, 

 broadly striped with white (the i wo colours in nearly equal proportion in young), 

 and the tarsus does not exceed 8 inches ; legs and feet black in adult." In 

 A. wurdemanni the lower parts are " white, narrowly striped or streaked with 

 black, the tarsus is more than 8 5 inches, and the legs and feet are olive in 

 adult." 



AUDEA WARDF. 



Ardea wardi, Eidgw. Btdl. Nuft. Orn. Club, vii. p. 5 (1882 : S.E. Florida) ; 

 Baird, Brewer, (Sf Eidgway, Water-B. N. Amer. i. p. 10 (1884) ; Ward, 

 Auk, i. p. 161 (1884: Ectero Bay, &e.) ; Coues, Key K. Arner. B. 2nd ed. 

 p. 658, note (1884) ; A. 0. U. Check-l. N. Amer. B. p. 135 (1886) ; 

 Eidgw. Man. N. Amer. B. p. 129 (1887); Scott, Auk. v. p. 183 (188H : 

 Tarpon Springs), vi. p. 17 (1889 : Gulf coast of Florida), vii. p. 308 

 (Bird Key, Dry Tortugas) ; Brewster ^~ Chapm. Auk, v. pp. 135, 137 

 (1891 : Suwanee Eiver) ; Scott, Auk, ix. p. 21] (1892). 



" Adult with occiput and sides of crown black, as in A. herodias, the fore- 

 head and middle of crown pure white. Length 48-54 inches, culmen 6'5-7, 

 wing 2-25, tarsus 8 5-9. ' 



Hab. Western Florida. 



