AKDKID.E — THE lIEliOXS — GAliZICTTA. 



27 



same pair. When tlie nest is on a tall tree, the yoiuig remain in it or on the branches 

 until they are able to fly ; but when it is near the water or ground, they leave much 

 sooner. 



The number of eggs in a nest in Florida, according to Audubon, is invarialjly 

 three. According to Wilson, in New Jersey the number is four or five. Audubon 

 gives their size as two and a (parter inches in length and one and live eighths in 

 breadth, and their color a pale blue, which soon fades. Two eggs in my collection, 

 obtained in Florida by Dr. Bryant, measure, one L'.oO x l.-">2 inches; the other 2.28 

 X 1.60 inches. They are nval in shape, nearly e(pial at cither end, and their color is 

 that uniform unspotted washing or faint shading of greenish Prussian blue, common 

 to all our herons, the two bitterns alone excepted. 



Genus GARZETTA, Kaup. 



Oarzelta, Kait, Nat. Syst. Eur. Tliierw. 1829, 70. BoXAr. Consp. II. 1855, 118 (type, Ardea 

 (jarzetla, Lixx.). 



Gex. Char. Small whitu Herons, crested at all ages and seasons, and in the nuptial season 

 adorned with jugular and dorsal plumes. Bill slender, very little compressed, the culnien decidedly 

 but ascending ; the lower edge of the mandibidav rami straight or apprecialdy concave. Mental 

 curved for tlie terminal liall', somewhat depressed for the basal half; the gonys nearly straight, 



.^.X.^ 



G. candidissima. 



apices falling ftir short of reaching half-way from the middle of the eye to the point of the bill ; 

 malar apices reaching just as far as the frontal apices, and fidling far short of the posterior end of 

 the nostrils. Toes short, the middle one hut little more than one half the tarsus, the hallux 

 about one half its length ; bare portion of tiljia nearly three foiuihs as long as the tarsus. Tarsal 

 scutella; as in flerodias. 



Nuptial plumes adorning the occiput, jugulum, and hack ; these, in the American species, all 

 of similar structure, having decomposed webs ; but in the Old World species, those of the occiput 

 and jugidum narrow and with compact web.s. Dorsal plumes (in all species) reaching but little 

 beyond the tail, and strongly recurved at ends. 



