226 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 



MONOGRAPH OF THE AMElJICAN SPECIES OP THE GENUS 



ARDEA, LINN^US. 



Synonymy of the Genus. 



<^Ardea, Linn. S. N. i. 1735. Type, J. cinerea, Linn.— CouES, Key, 187^, 267 (includes 

 also Eferodias, Garzetta, Hydravassa, Dichromanassa, Flonda, and Butorides). 

 [<Sul)fam. Jrc^eino?.]— Gray, Handlist, iii. 1871,26. 



^^Ardea, Reichenb. Handb. 1851, xvi.— Bonap. Consp. ii. 1855, 110 (includes A. cocoi, L., 

 A. cinerea, L., A. hrag, Geoff., A. atricollis, Wagl., A. leucoplicea, Gould, A. paci- 

 fica, Lath., A. herodias, L., A, purpurea, L., and A. pharaonica, Bonap. — all 

 typical?). l<^Ardew, <^ArddncB.'] — Baird, Birds N.Am. 1858,667. l<^Ardea>., 

 <^Ardeince.^—Bovc., Cat. Av. 1876, 49. 



'^Audubonia, Bonap. Consp. ii. 1855, 113. Type, Ardea occidentalis, Aud. — Baird, 

 Birds N. Am. 1858, 667.— Gray, Handlist, iii. 1871, 27. 



Characters of the Oenus. 



Oh. — Herons of largest size (of Stork-like stature), the adults distin- 

 gnisbed by lengthened, narrowly-lanceolate, acute jugular and scapular 

 plumes (the former rather rigid, the latter overhanging the wings and 

 ramp); a tuft of broad feathers on each side the breast (having a differ- 

 ent color from adjacent parts), and, in the breeding season, by the pres- 

 ence of two or three extremely lengthened, narrow, pendant, occipital 

 plumes. 



Culmen almost straight; gonys ascending, slightly convex, about 

 equal in length to the mandibular rami ; upper and lower outlines of 

 the bill parallel for the basal half. Mental apex anterior to half-way 

 between point of bill and anterior angle of the eye; frontal apex a 

 little posterior to the nostrils and a little anterior to the malar apex.* 

 Middle toe more than half the tarsus, and about equal to bare portion 

 of tibia; outer toe reaching to about the middle of the penultimate 

 phalanx of the middle toe; inner toe decidedly shorter, reaching only 

 to the second articulation of the middle toe; hallux a little longer than 

 the basal phalanx of the outer toe; claws rather short, strongly curved. 

 Front of tarsus with broad, transverse scutellse, in single series, for 

 upper half. Pileum crested, the feathers of the crown and o cipnt 

 being elongated lanceolate and decurved. Primaries reaching de- 

 cidedly beyond tertials. Second, third, and fourth quills nearly equal, 

 and longest; first longer than fifth ; inner webs of outer three slightly 

 sinuated near ends. 



Synopsis of the American SpeciesA 



Common charaoteks. — Above bluish-pumbleous, the penicillate scap- 

 ular ijluraes more hoary; remiges and rectrices slate-color. Lower parts 



*The terms "mental apex", "malar apex", and "frontal apex" are here employed 

 to denote the apices, or points, of the feathering of the head at the base of the bill. 



tin this synopsis I inclndo, besides the truly American species, their near relative 

 of Europe, A. cinerea, the latter being itself entitled to a place iu the American fauna 

 on account of its occurrence iu Greenland. Of the other species properly referable to 

 this genus, I have seen only A. purpurea Linn, (also European). This seems to be 

 strictly congeneric as to details of form, but it has a very different system of coloration. 



