EIDGWAY ON AMERICAN HEEODIONES. 223 



that the young of this bird rnns ahout a^ soon as hatched ! In view 

 of this statement, it becomes necessary to either remove Balceniceps 

 from the Herodiones, or doubt the veracity of the collector — either horn 

 of the dilemma being equally precarious. Eeferriag the reader, then, 

 to the maiu literature on this subject,* I leave the question of the affi- 

 nities of this remarkable form in abeyance. 



ARDEID^.— The True Herons. 



Synopsis of the American Genera. 



Subfamily Ardein^. — Outer toe equal to or decidedly longer than the 

 inner. Claws short, generally strongly curved. Three pairs of 

 powder-down tracts. Eectrices lengthened, stiflfish, twelve in number 

 (except in Zebrilus.) 



Subfamily Botaurin^. — Outer toe decidedly shorter than the inner. 

 Olaws long, slender, slightly curved. Two pairs, only, of powder- 

 down tracts. Rectrices very short, soft, only ten in number. 



Subfamily Ardeinje. 



A. — Rectrices twelve ; tibice with the lower portion more or less naked, 

 a. Pectoral and inguinal powder-down tracts widely separated. 



§. Malar region completely feathered (except in Pilherodius, 

 where anterior part is bare). Bill shorter than the tarsus and 

 middle toe (usually shorter than, or about equal to, the tarsus). 



1. Ardea. — Size very large. Adult with scapular plumes elon- 

 gated, narrowly-lanceolate, and with compact webs; in the 

 breeding season, the occiput with two long, slender, compact- 

 webbed, pendant plumes. Color mainly plumbeous- or slate- 

 blue (rarely — e. g. white phase of A. occidentalis — wholly pure 

 white). Culmen shorter than the middle toe. 



2. Herodias. — Size large, but smaller than the species of the 

 preceding genus. Adult with the scapular plumes 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. 



* Von Muller, Dr. Baron J. W. — Balceniceps rex, Gould. <[ Jardine'sContr. Orn. 1852, 

 91. [Translated from Naumannia, May, 1852.] 



Petherick, John, F. R. G. S., H. M. Contul for the Soudan. — Memoranda on the 

 Hippopotamus and Balceniceps, recently imported to England, and noiv in the Gardens of the 

 Society. < P. Z. S. 1860, 195. 



Bartlett, a. D. — Note on the Balceniceps rex. <[ P. Z, S. 1860, 461. 



On the Affinities ofi Balceniceps. < P. Z. S. March 26, 1861, 131. 



Parker, W. K., Memb. Micr. Soc. — Abstract of Notes on the Osteology of Balceniceps 

 rex. < P. Z. S. 1860, 324. 



Parker, W. Kitchen, Mem. Micr, Soc. — On the Osteology of Balceniceps rex (Gould). 

 < Trans. Zool. Soc. Load. iv. 1862, 269-351, pis. Ixiv-lxvii. 



Reinhardt, Professor J., For. M. Z. S. — On the Affinities of Balceniceps. <[ P. Z. S. 

 1860, 377. 



