125* BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Subgenus Garzetta Kaup. 



Gartetta Kaup, Nat. Syst. Eur. Thierw. 1829, 76.— Bonap. Consp. ii. m>5, 118. Type, 

 Ardea garzetta 'Lis'S. 



SuBGKN. Chab. Small white Herons, crested at all ages and seasons, and in the nuptial 

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

 culmen decidedly curved for the terminal half, somewhat depressed for the basal half, the 

 gonys nearly straight, but ascending; the lower edge of the mandibular rami straight or 

 appreciably concave. Mental apex falling far short of reaching half-way from the middle 

 of the eyo *^' i he point of the bill; malar apex reaching just as far as the frontal apex, and 

 falling far short of the posterior end of the nostrils. Toes short, the middle one but little 

 more than one half the tarsus, the hallux about one hall Its length; bare portion of tibia 

 nearly three fourths as long as the tarsus. Tarsal scutellse as in Herndias. 



Nuptial plumes adorning the occiput, jugulum, and.back; these, in the American species, 

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

 the occiput and jugulum narrow and with compact webs. Dorsal plumes (in all species) 

 reaching but little beyond the tail, and strongly recurved at ends. 



Ardea candidissima Gmel. 



THE SNOWY HEEON. 



Popular synonyms. Little Egret; White-crested Egret; White Poke; Black-4egged Gaulln 

 (Jamaica); Garza blanca chica (Mexico). 



Ardea nivea Jacq. Beitr. 1784, 18. No. 13 (not of S. G. Gmel. 177(>-1774).— Lath. Ind. Orn. ii, 



1790. 69G (part). 

 Liille White Heron Lath. Synop. iii, 1785. 93. 



Little Egret Lath. Synop. iii. 1785, 90 (part; includes also G. nivea). 

 Ardea candidissima Gmel. S. N. i, pt.ii, 1788, 633, No. 45.— WiLS. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 120, pi 62, 



fig. 4.— NuTT. Man. ii. 1834, 49.— AuD. Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 317; v, 1839. 606, pi. 242; 



Synop. 1839, 267; Birds Am. vi, 1843, 163, pi. 374.— Coues. Key, 1872, 267; 2d ed. 1884; 



Check List, 1873, 89, No. 453; Birds N. W. 1874, 521.-Eeichenow, J. f. 0. 1877, 273.- 



A. O. U. Cheek List, 1886, No. 197.— Eidgw. Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 130. 

 Garzetta candidissima Bonap. Consp. ii, 1855, 119.— Baied, Birds N. Am. 1858. 66.5; Cat. 



N. Am. B. 1859, No. 485.— Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 490.— CouKS, Check List, 



2d ed. 1882. No. 659.— B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. i, 1884, 28. 

 Ardea oula Gmel. S. N. i, pt. ii, 1788, 633 (Chili). 

 Ardea thula JjATH. Ind. Orn. ii, 1791. 6&S. 

 Ardea caroline7isis Obd, ed. Wils. vii, 1825. 125. 

 Ardea lactea "Cuv." Less. Traite, i, 1831. 575 (Cayenne). 



Hab. The whole of temperate and tropical America, from the northern United 8tate.«i 

 to Chili and Argentine Republic; summer or autumnal visitant only at the northern and 

 southern extremes of its range. West Indies. 



Sp. Chae. Plumage entirely pure white, at all ages and seasons. Bill black, the basal 

 portion of the under mandible (sometimes one half) yellow or otherwise pale-colored ; lores, 

 iris, and eyelids yellow or orange-yellow; tibiae and tarsi black, the lower portion of the 

 latter, with the toes, yellow; claws blackish. 



Nuptial plumes slender-shafted and loose-flbred, those of the back reaching to or 

 slightly beyond the end of the tail, and. normally, recurved terminally; those of the occiput 

 sometimes exceeding the bill in length; those of the jugulum slightly less developed. In 

 the young these are all absent, except on the occiput, where they are but slightly de- 

 veloped; in the adults the occipital plumes appeal- to be permanent, the others assumed 

 only during the breeding season. 



