EIDGWAY ON AMERICAN HEEODIONES. 221 



2. Ardeidje. Two to three pairs of powder-down tracts. Bill 

 compressed, elongate-cooical, the lateral outlines straight or 

 even a little concave ; the vertical outlines nearly straight, 

 slightly convex termiaally; gonys lengthened, several times- 

 longer than the width of the mandibular rami. 



B. — Pterylse broad, without powder-down tracts. Hallux elevated at 

 tbe base above the base of the anterior toes ; inner edge of 

 middle claw not pectinated ; claws resting upon a horny, cres- 

 centic ^^shoe^\ {Herodiones ciooniiformes, = Pelargi, Sundev. 

 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 

 femora-caudal miiscle ; semitendinosus musle tendinous for its 

 distal half; biceps cubiti and tensor patagii longus muscles un- 

 connected. (Garrod.*) 



3. CicoNiiD^. Bill elongate-conical, either straight or curved 

 a little up or down at the end. 



h. Sides of the maxilla with a deep, narrow groove, extending un- 

 interruptedly from the nasal fossse to the extreme tip of the 

 bill. Skull schizorhinal. Angle of the mandible produced 

 and decurved. Pectoralis major muscle simple (not separa- 

 ble into distinct layers) ; accessory femoro-caudal muscle well 

 developed; semitendinosus muscle muscular throughout: biceps 

 cubiti and tensor patagii longus muscles connected by a small 

 muscular "belly". (Garrod.) 



4. Ibidid^. Bill slender, attenuq,ted terminally, nearly cylin- 

 drical or somewhat compressed, conspicuously decurved, or 

 arched above. 



5. Plataleid^. Bill very broad, excessively depressed and 

 greatly expanded terminally, much narrowed across the 

 middle portion, the extreme tip only much decurved. 



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

 American representatives, while one {Cancromidce) is peculiarly Ameri- 

 can, there are several others which probably belong to the Herodiones^ 

 but which, excepting the American family Eurypygidce (Sun Bitterns), 

 I have had no opportunity to examine, and therefore pass by for the 

 present without special reference. 



The Eurypygidce are small, Bittern-like birds, with beautifully- 

 variegated plumage, and differ from the true Herons in their densely 

 feathered lores, shorter and more elevated hallux, absence of pec- 

 tinations to the edge of the middle claw, very long (extremely 

 unheron-like) tail, and other features. Later systematists have placed 

 this form near the Rails {Ballidce) — far from the Herodiones. It comes 

 much nearer the latter, however, since, while being decidedly Herodi- 



* See P. Z. S. 1875, p. 301. 



