22 



ALTRiriAL rtRAIJ-ATORKi^ — IlKUoDIONES. 



Gksvh HERODIAS, ItoiK. 



HerodiiU, BiilE, UU, lS2'.'. TyiH-, Jnlea rgntla, LiSN. 



Oen. Chah, Wliiti! Herons of hv^t- ni/r, ami witlidiit pluiiii'M, except in the hrcedinf? Benson, 

 when ornnuu'nted simply (in most Hpcties') liy a lonj,' train of strainlit ifathiTs. wiiii tliiik shafts, 

 anil Ion;,', sparse, (Icromiinsi'il, slcmlfr IhiiI)^, wliicli <^vo\v from the ilorsiil ic^^ion ami overhang; the 

 tail. 15111 mislerati'ly slcndfr, the upper ami Inwer (nitliiies alimist puraUel to near the eml, when- 

 ({untly eurvetl, the culmeii more ahniptly so limn the ^'onys, tlmn^'h the curve is (juite gradual. 

 Mental apex reaiddn^' a jioint ahout midway hetween ihe tip of the hill and the eye ; malar apex 

 decideiUy anterior to thtt frontal apex, and extcmlinj,' to liuneath the jiosterior end of the nostrils. 

 Toes very lon^', the middle oni! ahout two thirds the tarsus, the hallux much less than one half the 

 former. Tihiie bare for about one half their length, i>v lor about the lenyth of the middle toe. 





'^ 

 .; .» 



//. eifreffa. 



Anterior scutellie of tarsus lar^'e, distinct, and nearly quadrate. Nuptial plumes confined to the 

 anterior part of the back, whence spring numerous long, straight, and thick shafts, reaching, when 

 fully developed, to considerably Ix-yond the end of the tail ; each stem having along each side 

 very long, slender, and distant fibrilUe. Tail even, of twelve broad feathew. Lower nape well 

 feathered. Plumage entirely pure white at all stages and seo-sons. 



This genus, like Anlm, (larrxtta etc., is nearly cosmoi)olitan, being wanting only in the islands 

 of the South Pacific and in the colder latitudes of other regions. It comprises but a single Ameri- 

 can species, which has a more extensive range than any other of the American IIeron.s, excepting 

 only Nycticmlea grisca mevia,'^ its regular habitat extending from the United States to Chili and 

 Patagonia. In their inunaturc stage and in winter plumage, the .several Old World species closely 

 resemble the American species, as well as one another. But it is believed that in full dress 

 the following distincti<nis will be found to hold good in the forms which we have been able to 

 compare. Gray's Jfaml-Ust (vol. III. p)). 27, 28) recognizes the following species : (1) //. (Ma, L., 

 of Europe, Africa, India, and Australia ; (2) H. egntta, Gmkl., of America ; (3) H. intennedia, V. 



1 An Old World species (IT. phanifcrus, CUnn.i)) has long jugidav feathers with decomposed webs. 

 * It is an unsettled iiuestion, however, whether the Night Heron of Chili, Patagonia, etc., may not be 

 a distinct race {N. yrisea obacum ; see page r>ii). 



