ABBEIB^ — ABDEINjE : HEBONS. 



667 



Always wMte. Adult with decomposed recurved feathers on back Garzetta 259 



c Ashy-blue, white below. Bill longer than tarsus Hydranassa 260 



Length 30, not 36 inches. Blue or white. Tarsus twice as long as middle toe. Bill shorter than 



tarsus IJlchromanassa 261 



Length 36 or more. Entirely white ; no crest ; long decomposed feathers on back . . Herodlas 253 



Length 42 or more ; of dark varied colors, or white ; crested, without dorsal plumes . . Ardea 2.^7 



60. Subfamily ARDEIN>E: True Herons. 



TaU-feathers 12 (in all N. 

 Am. genera), broad and stiff- 

 ish. Powder-down tracts 3 

 pairs. Tibise naked below. 

 Outer toe not shorter than in- 

 ner. Claws moderate, curved. 

 (Embracing most of the spe- 

 cies of the family, and all our 

 species excepting the Bit- 

 terns.) 



AR'DEA. (Lat. ardea, a 

 heron.) Great Herons. Of 

 largest size. Neck and legs 

 very long, former well feath- 

 ered all around. Tibice exten- 

 sively denuded below. Tarsus 

 longer than middle toe and 

 claw. Outer lateral toe longer 

 than inner. Bill shorter than 

 tarsus, equal to or longer than 

 middle too and claw. Colors 

 dark and varied, exceptionally 

 white; back without length- 

 ened loosened plumes ; scapu- 

 lars lanceolate, lengthened, but 

 not loosened; lower fore-neck 

 with lengthened feathers ; head 

 crested, in breeding season with 

 two long, slender, flowing, oc- 

 cipital plumes. Sexes alike; 

 young similar, but lacking all 

 lengthened feathers. Dichro- 

 matic. (Genera 258-263 should 

 be reduced to subgenera of 

 Ardsa.) 



Fis. 457. - 

 Audubon. 



■Great Blue Heron, greatly reduced. (From Tenney, after 



Analysis of Species. 



Tibia? and edge of wing white; occiput and plumes black. (Europe.) 



Tibiie and edge of wing rufous; or whole plumage white. 



Occiput and plumes black ; whole plumage varied. Bill 6 or less ; tarsus 8 or less 

 Occiput and plumes white; or, whole plumage white. Bill 6 or more ; tarsus 8 or more 



cmerea 657 



. Jierodias 

 occkl entails 



065 

 65S 



A. hero'dlas. (Lat. herodias, a proper name ; Gr. e'p^Sms, erodias, a heron. Fig. 4.57.) Great 

 Blue Heron. Of large size, and varied dark colors; not dichromatic. Backtvithout peculiar 

 plumes at any season, but scapulars lengthened and lanceolate ; an occipital crest two de- 



42 ' 



