2 ALTRICIAL CtRALLATOEES — HERODIONES. 



this connection is the circumstance that, besides being altrieial, they are, -svith 

 very few exceptions, also decidedly arboreal, most of them even placing their 

 nests on trees. They are all swimmers, however, instead of being strictly or in 

 part waders. 



Without discussing further the characters which distinguish this "order," we 

 proceed to define the families into which it seems most naturally divisible. 



Synopsis of the American Herodionine Families. 



A. Ptervlte very narrow, interspersKd with " Ijowder-Juwu " tracts. Hallux perfectly incumbent ; 



inner eilge of middle claw distinctly jjectinated. {Herodiones ardeiformes. = Herodii, 

 SuxDKV. .Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1S72, 122.) 



1. Caucromidae. Four pairs of powder-down tracts. Bill greatly depressed and excessively 



dilated laterally, the lateral outlines nmch bowed ; gonys excessively short, not longer 

 tlian the width of the mandibular rami. 



2. Ardeidae. Two to three pairs of powder-duwn tracts. Bill compressed, elongate-conical, 



the lateral outlines straight or even a little concave ; the vertical outlines nearly straight, 

 slightly convex terminally ; gonys lengthened, several times longer thau the width of the 

 mandibular rami. 



B. Pteryla; broad, without powder-down tracts. Hallux elevated at the base above the base 



of the anterior toes ; inner edge of midfUe claw not pectinated ; claws resting upon a 

 horny, crescentic " shoe." {Herodiones ciconiifonnes, = Pelargi, Sdndev. Meth. Nat. Av. 

 Disp. Tent. 1872, 123.) 

 a. Sides of the maxilla without any trace of lateral groove. Skull holorhinal. Angle of the 

 mandible truncated. Pectoralis major muscle in two easily separable layers. No accessory 

 femoro-catidal muscle ; semitendinosus muscle tendinous for its distal half ; biceps cubiii 

 and tensor patacjii longus muscles unconnected. (Garrod, P. Z. S. 1875, 301.) 



3. Cicouiidae. Bill elongate-conical, either straight or curved a little up or down at the end. 

 6. Sides of the maxilla with a deep, narrow grocn-e, extending uninterruptedly from the nasal 



fossae to the extreme tip of the bill. Skull schizorhinal. Angle of the mandible jjro- 

 duced and decurved. Pectoralis major nuiscle simple (not separable into distinct layei-s) ; 

 accessory femoro -caudal muscle well developed ; semitendinosus muscle muscular through- 

 out ; biceps cubiti and tensor patagii longvs muscles connected by a small muscular " belly." 



fOAKROD.) 



4. Ibididae. Bill slender, attenuated terminally, nearly cylindrical or somewhat compressed, 



ciiiisiiituiiusly decurved, or arched above. 



5. Plataleidae. Bill very broad, excessively depressed and greatly expanded terminally, much 



narrowed across the middle portion, the extreme tip only nmch decurved. 



In addition to the above well-defined families, all of which have American 

 representatives, while one (Cancromidce) is peculiarly American, there are sev- 

 eral others which probably belong to the Herodiones, but which, excepting the 

 Eurypyrjidw (Sun Bitterns), are peculiar to the Old World, and may therefore 

 be passed by without further notice. 



F.\MiLY ARDEID.E. — The Herons. 



Ch.\r. Altricial waders having the bill compressed, pointed, all the outlines 

 nearly straight; the lores and orbits naked; the rest of the head (except, some- 

 times, the malar region, or part of the throat) feathered, the occiput frequently 

 with ornamental plumes. Lower part of the neck, back, or scapulars, fre- 



