AEDEIDAJ — THE HEKONB. 118* 



Genus AKDEA LixNiGus. 



Ardea Linn. 8. N. ed. 10, 1, 1758, 141. Type, by elimiaation, A. cinerta LiWR. 



Analysis of Subgenera 



a} Oaimen decidedly shorter than tarsus, the latter more than one and a half times as long 

 as the middle toe, without claw. 

 l»' Tarsus much less than twice as long as middle toe, without claw. 

 <?• Wing more than 13 inches. 



d^ Wing more than 17 inches. Adults with scapular plumes narrowly lanceolate, 

 with compact webs; head crested, the occiput, during pairing season, 

 with two or more long, slender, compactly webbed plumes; plumes of 



lower neck stiffened, narrowly lanceolate, or acicular Ardea. 



J- Wing less than 17 inches. Adults in nvptial plumage with the scapular 

 plumes excessively elongated, reaching far beyond the tail, their shafts 

 thick and stififened, their webs decomposed; head without crest or 

 plumes, and feathers of lower neck (in American species) soft, broad, and 



not lengthened; color, always wholly pure white.. Herodiaa. 



e- Wing less than 11 inches. 



d' Adults with occipital, jugular, and scapular plumes greatly developed, with 

 much decomposed webs (occipital and jugular plumes with compact webs 

 in exotic species); the scapular plumes extending to or beyond end of 

 tail and recurved at tips; color of plumage always wholly pure white. 



Garzetta. 

 tf* Adults with jugular and scapular plumes much elongated ; the former nar- 

 rowly lanceolate, with compact webs, the latter also narrow, but more 

 loosely webbed, and often extending far beyond the tail; color of plumage 

 Tarying from uniform dark slate-blue, with maroon-colored head and 

 ' neck dn most adults), to pure white with only the tips of some primaries 



bluish (in young); adults sometimes mixed white and bluish Florida. 



6» Tarsus twiee as long as middle toe, without claw. Adults with feathers of entire 

 head and neck, except throat and upper foreneck, elongated and narrowly 

 lanceolate, especially on occiput and lower foreneck; scapular plumes much 

 elongated, extending beyond end of tail, with shafts straight and stiffened, and 

 webs decomposed, but the hair-like flbrillas rather close together; color of plum- 

 age uniform bluish and reddish, uniform white, or pied Dichromanafisa. 



a' Culmen equal to or longer than tajsus, the latter less than on© and a half times as long 

 as middle toe without claw. 



b* Wing more thJ'.n 8 inches; culmen and tarsus more than 3 inches. Adults with an 

 occipital tuft of several moderately lengthened, lanceolate, compactly webbed 

 feathers; jugular plumes broadly lanceolate, with compact webs; scapular 

 plumes greatly elongated, extending to beyond end of tail, straii,'ht, hair-like; 

 color of plumage mixed grayish or bluish and white, never entirely white. 



Ejdranassa. 



b* Wing not mor'i than 8 inches; culmen and tarsus less than 3 inches. Adults with 



scapular plumes and feathers on top of head moderately lengthened, lanceolate, 



with compact webs; jugulnr plumes broad, soft, and blended; color of plumage 



more or less metallio* in adalts, on upper parts, grayiah or rusty beneath; never 



' wMte. -. Butoridea, 



