266 



KEY AND DESCRIPTION 



much, larger than the snowy heron (No. 8), but has not the 



" aigrette " plumes of those species. 



Length, 50 ; wing, 19 (17-21); tarsus, 8J ; culmen, 6J. riorida, Cuba, 

 and Jamaica. 



5. Ward's Heron (193. Arclea wdrdi). — A Florida great 



blue heron. It is similar to the next but somewhat larger. 



Generally the lower parts are whiter, the neck darker, and the 



legs lighter, being olive instead of black. 



Length, 48-54 ; wing, 19|-20i ; tarsus, 8J ; culmen, 6^7. Florida ; 

 common in the southern half of the state. 



6. Great Blue Heron (194. Ardea herodias). — An exceedingly 

 large, common, generally bluish or slate-colored, crested heron, 



with many black, white, and 

 yellowish streaks on head, 

 neck, and belly, and chestnut 

 on the bend of the wing. 

 The tibia feathers are brown, 

 the center of crown and 

 throat white, and the sides 

 of the crown black. The 

 young has the entire crown 

 black and lacks the plumes 

 of the old bird. As feed- 

 ers these are solitary birds, 

 though they nest and roost 

 in colonies. Their food is 

 made up of fishes, frogs, 

 snakes, mice, etc. (Blue 

 " Crane.") 



Length, 42-50 ; wing, 19 (18- 

 20); tail, 7|; tarsus, 7; culmen, 

 4|-6J. North America; breeding 

 from Pennsylvania south to the 



Great Bine Heron 



north to Hudson Bay, and wintering 

 West Indies and northern South America. 



7. American Egret (196. Ardea egritta). — A very large, pure 

 white heron with about fifty straight "aigrette" plumes on 



