BIRDS AEDEIDAE. . 659 



Family ARDEIDAE. 



Ch. — Bill conical, acuminate, compressed, and acute; the edges usually nicked at the end ; the frontal feathers generally 

 extendino- beyond the nostrils. Tarsi scutellate anteriorly ; the middle toe connected to the outer by a basal web. Claws 

 acute ; the edge of the middle one serrated or pectinated on its inner edge. 



The family is a well marked one, and is generally distributed throughout the globe, 

 embracing a great number of species, a large proportion of them American. Bonaparte 

 assigns to it but a single sub-family Ardeinae, making Cancroma, Scopus, and Euripya types 

 of separate families. 



The following schedule will illustrate the principal characters of the genera belonging to 

 the territories of the United States. The measurements of the species of each section will be 

 found under the head of its first genus. 



Synopsis of genera. 



A. Ardeae. — Bill much longer than the head, acute, rather slender jjroportionately. Legs 



very long and slender ; tarsus much longer than middle toe ; anteriorly broadly scutellate to the 



base. Outer lateral toe always decidedly longer than inner. Tibiae lengthened, always bare 



for the lower third or half. Body moderately compressed. Neck very long, usually well 



eathered all round. Tail of twelve stiffened feathers. 



Middle of back with elongated plumes, their fibrillae distant. 



Demiegretta. — Plumes straight, fastigiate, depending, and elongated. Feathers of 

 the head and entire neck lanceolate, narrow, and well defined, (in this differing 

 from all our other genera.) Toes very short ; the lateral not more than half 

 the tarsus, (a character entirely peculiar to this genus.) 

 Gakzetta. — Plumes reaching about to the tail, recurved at the end ; the fibrillae 

 horizontal, but not fastigiate. A full occipital crest, and lower part of the 

 throat with similar plumose feathers ; the fibrillae fastigiate. Color white. 

 Herodias. — Plumes reaching beyond the tail, straight, fiastigiate, depending. 

 Head perfectly smooth. 

 Back without elongated plumes. Scapulars usually elongated. 



Ardea. — Occiput with greatly lengthened feathers, reaching far beyond the 



occipital crest. Scapulars equal to the tertials. 

 AuDUBONiA. — Head without much lengthened feathers. Scapulars scarcely elon- 

 gated. 

 Florida. — Head with occi^ntal feathers moderately elongated; the webs decom- 

 pounded ; those of lower throat, lanceolate. Scapulars longer than the tail. 

 Lower outline of bill nearly straight. 

 B. BoTAUREAE. — Bill rather slender, acute. Culmen very gently curved, gonys ascending. 

 Tibia feathered nearly to the joint. Tarsi short, less than middle toe, broadly scutellate ante- 

 riorly. Claws long, acute. Inner lateral toe longest. Tail of ten very soft feathers. Body 

 much compressed. Neck short; bare inferiorly behind. No crests nor plumes. 



Ardetta. — Size very small. Plumage compact, lustrous. Back unicolor. 

 BoTAURUs.^ — Size large. Plumage dull, loose, much spotted and streaked. 



' I cannot find any important feature of form by which to separate these two genera. 



