AKDEA. 161 



Order ARDEIFORMES. 



Family AHDEID^. 



This family is composed of large and medium-sized birds which 

 are distributed over the known continents of the world ; fourteen 

 genera occur in South America — thirteen of which are represented 

 in British Guiana and fifteen species. 



Genus ARDEA Linn. 



Ardea Linne, Syst. Nat. 10th ed. i. p. 141, 1758. Type A. cinerea 

 Linn. 



This genus is distinguished by the elongated and lanceolate 

 scapular plumes, long occipital crest-feathers, and ornamental 

 plumes on the fore-neck. 



100. Ardea oocoi. 

 Cocoi Heron. 



Ardea cocoi Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 237, 1766 ("Habitat in Cayana ") ; 

 Cab. in Schomb. Reis. Guian. iii. p. 752, 1848 ; Brown, Canoe and 

 Camp Life, p. 105, 1876 (Kujmnuni River) ; Salvin, Ibis, 1886, 

 p. 169 ; Quelch, Timehri (2) ii. p. 365, 1888 (Abary River), iv. 

 p. 331, 1890 (Berbice River) ; Llovd, Timehri (2) xi. p. 9, 1897 ; 

 Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. pp. 72, 268, 1898 ; Beebe, Our 

 Search for a Wilderness, p. 231, 1910 (Marooka), p. 245 (Esse- 

 quebo), p. 268 (Cuj^uni), p. 353 (Abarj^ River); Brabourne & 

 Chubb, B. S. Amer. i. p. 49, no. 461, 1912. 



"Heeri," "Honorora or Grey Crane ^' (Quelch); "Hunurie" 

 (Lloi^d). 



Adult female. C^rown of head and crest black, as also an irregular 

 line down the fore-neck, the sides of breast, abdomen, bastard- 

 wing, primary-coverts, and quills ; throat, neck all round, edge 

 of wing, thighs, and under tail-coverts white ; back, scapulars, 

 u[)per wing-coverts, inner secondaries, tail, under wing-covert.<, 

 axillaries, and sides of the body grey. 



Total length 950 mm., culnien 150, wing 430, tail 150, 

 tarsus 181', middle toe and claw 121). 



The female descriljed was obtained in the Colony but lias no 

 exact locality. 



Adult mate. Similar to the adult fennde in colour of plumage. 



