ARDEID2. 161 
Suborder ARDE.U®. 
Family ARDEIDZ. 
Bill generally slender, straight, and compressed ; culmen slightly curved 
near its tip; tarsus covered with transverse plates or large hexagonal 
scales; toes long; claws well developed, usually sharp and curved; hind 
toe well developed, its claw larger than claw of middle toe, the latter 
pectinate. 
Genera. 
a‘, Rectrices twelve. 
bt. Bare portion of tibio-tarsus equal to or exceeding the inner toe with claw. 
c’. Middle toe with claw as long as tarsus or longer; claw of hind toe more 
than half the length of hind toe itself and but slightly curved; plumage 
Valiecated neverwinter: s:02 22s! Siti ede cdot cece eee Pyrrherodia (p. 162) 
c. Middle toe with claw shorter than tarsus; claw of hind toe curved; plumage 
nearly uniform slate-gray or largely white. 
ad. Edge of mandibles distinctly serrated, a faintly indicated notch near tip 
of upper mandible. 
e*. Head crested, nape feathers elongated and ornamented; plumage of 
fore neck long but not disintegrated; no dorsal train; plumage 
uniform gray, or else, neck mostly white and crest black. 
Ardea (p. 163) 
e*, Head crested, without ornamental plumes; fore neck with disinte- 
grated plumes; an immense dorsal train; plumage white. 
Mesophoyx (p. 165) 
@. Edge of mandible not serrated; a distinct subterminal notch in upper 
mandible. 
e*, Bill shorter; culmen not exceeding middle toe with claw. 
fi. No crest plumes; a well-developed dorsal train; plumage white. 
Herodias (p. 166) 
e?, Bill longer; culmen exceeding middle toe with claw; plumage white. 
Egretta (p. 167) 
b?. Bare portion of tibio-tarsus less than inner toe; feathering sometimes extend- 
ing nearly to the heel. 
ce. Bill without serrations in either mandible; upper mandible with a distinct 
notch just before the end. 
d’. Culmen longer than tarsus, the latter longer than middle toe; plumage 
Mery, Camle SIRte-COLOES facile nett Demigretta (p. 168) 
d’, Culmen not longer than tarsus; two or three elongated nape plumes. 
e*. Tarsus and culmen about equal; two or three elongated nape plumes 
wenyuslemdeny -2355 5. seit sae es es Nycticorax (p. 169) 
e?. Tarsus decidedly longer than culmen; nape plumes wider. 
Gorsachius (p. 172) 
ce. Bill with distinct serrations near its end, sometimes only the upper mandible 
serrated; subterminal notch obsolete. 
d. Bill moderately long, exceeding middle toe with claw; plumage more 
prblecnavanicmaied scot Ct, oN NN Butorides (p. 174) 
@. Bill shorter than middle toe with claw; plumage white. 
Bubulcus (p. 177) 
77719——_11 
