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4 ALTRK'IAL GRALLATORES — IIERODIOXES. 



8. [Syrlgma.J Size medium. Ailnll witii several elni);,'ute(l, iinrrow, compnet-webbed, round- 



tipped, Hoiiu'wlmt rij,'id and .nli^'litly recurved idiimes on lower part of occiput. Jugular 

 feathers soft, broad, l)lended. No seapular plumes. Culmon ul)out e(]ual to middle toe. 

 Color mucii variegated, the tail and lower parts white. 



9. [Pilberodiua.J Size medium. Orbits and anterior i)art of malar region naked. Occiput 



with two extn^niely elongated linear, compact-webbed plumes. Jugular plumes broad, 

 blended. No scapular jdunies. Color white, the crown and occiput black. Middle toe 

 shorter tiian culmen ; culmen sl",rter than tarsus. 



10. Nyotioorax. Size medium. Adult with several extremely elongated linear, compact- 



webbed occipital plumes. No scapular jilumes. Jugular feather-< broad, blended. Cul- 

 men about eipial to tarsus ; tai-sus slightly longer than middle loe. Lateral outlines of 

 bill cducave ; gonys nearly straight. Adult and young exceedingly dilferent in plumage. 



11. Nyctherodius. Size medium. .!(/»/< with several extremely elongated linear, compact- 



webbed occipital plumes. Scapular plumes elongated, narrow, round-tii)peii, the webs 

 somewhat decomposed. Jugular feathers broad, blended. Culmen much shorter than 

 tarsus (a little longer than middle toe) ; tarsus much longer than mid(lle toe. Color 

 much variegated. Lateral outlines of the bill straight ; gonys very conv. /. Adult nnd 

 young e.\ceedingly different in plumage. 



§§. Malar region entirely naked. Hill lonyer than tarsus and middle toe. 



12. [Agamia.] Size medium. Bill extremely elongated, narrow, and compressed. Adult 



with greatly elongated, broadly lanceolate, acute occipital plumes ; lower back with simi- 

 lar, but more loosely webbed, plumes overhanging rump. Sides of neck with recurved, 

 sickle-shaped, narrow, and acute plumes. Jugular feathers broad, blended. Tarsus nearly 

 twice middle toe. 

 6. Pectoral and imjutnal 2}ovjder-down tracts imited into a continuous strip, 



13. [Tlgrisoma.] Malar region and throat naked, the latter with or without a medial feath- 



ered strip. Tarsits with hexagonal scutellw in front. Outer toe longer than inner ; claws 

 short, strongly curved. Plumage much variegated ; feathers of neck loose, "fluffy." 



B« Rectriccs ten. TibUc with the lower portion completely feathered. Pectoral and inguinal powder- 

 down tracts widely separated. Malar region completely feathered. 



14. [Zebrilus.] Size very small (among the smallest of Herons). Plumage exceedingly lax 



and " fluffy." Bill and feet very small. Culmen about ecpial to tarsus, both longer than 

 miildle toe ; outer toe longest. Plumage dull, with transverse undulations of dusky and 

 light fulvous. 



6. ScB-FAMii.Y BOTAURIN.E. — TuK Bittkrks. 



15. Botaurus. Size medium, or rather large. Sexes similar ; young similar to adult. 



16. Ardetta. Size extremely small (the smallest of Herons). Sexes dissimilar (in all 



species I) ; young slightly different from adult. 



ii'Hl 



Genus ARDEA, Linn'.eu.s. 



Ardea, Link. S. N. I. 1735; cd. 12, I. 1766, 233 (type, A. cincrca, Li\n.). 

 Atidubonia, Bonap. Consp. II. 1855, 113 (type, Ardea occidentalis, AuD.). 



Chaii. Herons of largest size (of Stork-like stature), the adults distinguished by lengthened, 

 narrowly-lanceolate, acute Jugular and scapular jdumes (tlie former rather rigid, the latter over- 

 h.anging the wings and rumj)) ; a tuft of broad feathers on each side the breast (having a different 

 color from adjacent parts), and, in the breeding season, by the presence of two or three extremely 

 lengthened, narrow, pendant, occipital plumes. 



Culmen almost straight ; gonys ascending, more or less convex, about equal in length to the man- 

 dibular rami ; upper and lower outlines of the bill parallel for the basal half. Mental apex anterior 

 to half-way between point of bill and anterior angle of the eye ; frontal apex a little posterior to 



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