AKDKID.E — THE HKRONS. 3 



quently with ornamental plumes. Plumage generally handsome and variegated. 



Two to throe ]iairs of powder-down tracts. Other characters variable. 



The Herons are among the mo.st widely diffused of birds, one siiecies, our common 

 Night Heron {Ni/i-tiroraj- (/rise its), being nearly or quite cosmopolitan. Many of the 

 Old Wiirld forms have not been examined in the present connection, but there 

 is good reason for believing that the number of sub-families here recognized as 

 represented in America can be consistently increased. 



Sub-tkiuily Ardeinae. OiUer toe efpial to, or deciileilly lunger than, the inner. Claws usually 

 short, generally strongly curved. Three pairs of powder-down tracts. Rectrices lengthened, 

 stiffish, twelve in number (except in Zebrilus). 



Sub-family Botaurinae. Outer toe decidedly siiorter than the inner. Claws long, slender, slightly 

 curved. Two pairs only of powder-down tracts. Rectiicos very short, soft, only ten in number. 



Synopsis of American Genera.^ 



a. Sub-family ARDEINAE. — The TnrE Heroxs. 

 A. Rectrices twelve; tibice xcith the lower imrtioii. mnrc or less ndked. 

 a. Pectoral and inguinnl jjovyler-dotrn tracts iritlelij separated. 

 5. Malar region completehj feathered (except in Pilherndins, where anterior part is bare). Bill 

 shorter than the tars'U and middle toe (usually shorter than, or al«iut eipial to, the tarsus). 



1. Ardea. Size very large. Adidt with scapular plumes ehmgated, narrowly-lancetdate, and 



with compact webs; in the hreedintj season, the occiput with two long, slender, compact- 

 webbed, pendant jihunes. Color mainly plumbeous- or slate-ldue (rarely — c. jr. white 

 phase of A. occidentalis — wholly pure white). Culraen shorter than the middle toe. 



2. Herodias. Size large, but .smaller than the species of the preceding genu.s. Adult with 



the scaiiular plume-s greatly elongated, reaching far beyond the end of the tail, the shafts 

 thick and rigid, the webs decomposed, hair-like, and distant. Color entirely pure white. 



3. Garzetta. Size small. Adidt with occipital, jugular, and scapular plumes, the latter 



reaching to or a little beyond the end of the tail ; tlie shafts moderately rigid, and re- 

 curved terminally ; the webs decomposed, with long, hair-like, but not distant fibres 

 Other plumes varying in structure, according to the species. Color entirely pure white. 

 4 Dichromanassa. Size medium. Adidt with the leathers of the entire head and neck, 

 excepting the throat and foreneck, elongated, linear, lanceolate, and stiffish, most elon- 

 giited on the occiput am! jugulum. Scapular plumes extending beyond end of tail ; the 

 shafts rigid, the wetis decomposed, with rather close, hair-like fibrillar. Color wholly 

 pure white, or plumbeous, with or without reddish neck. Tarsus twice as long as 

 middle toe. 



5. Hydranassa. Size medium. Adult with an occipital tuft of several elongated, lanceolate 



white leathers. Jugular feathers broadly lanceolate, with distinct outlines. Scapular 

 plumes hair-like, extending a little lieyond the tail. Color mainly plumbeous, with lower 

 parts and rump white. Bill longer than tarsus. 



6. Florida. Size small. Adult with scapular plumes elongated, extending to or beyond end 



of tail, linear-lanceolate, with compact webs ; jugular plumes similar ; occipital plumes 

 hair-like, a few of them much elongated. Color pure white, with bluish tips to outer 

 primaries, dark slate-blue with maroon-colored head and neck, or variousl}' " patched " 

 with blue and white. 



7. Butorides. Size small. Adult with scapidar plumes elongated, compact-webbed, lance- 



olate, Init wdth rounded tips. Teathers of the pileum elongated, lanceolate. Jugular 

 plumes broad, blended. Culmen longer than tarsus ; middle toe almost equal to tarsus. 

 Color much variegated. 



1 The "enera enclcsed in brackets are extraliniital. 



