A.RDEIN  I 
Ardea  Linn* 
Bill  lengthened,  and  more  or  less  slender,  with  the  eulmen  nearly  straight  to  the  tip,  -which  is  acute 
and  emarginated,  the  sides  compressed,  and  the  lateral  margins  straight  and  sometimes  serrated  ;  the 
gonvs  moderate  and  ascending  ;  the  nostrils  lateral,  basal,  and  placed  in  a  groove  which  extends  for 
more  than  half  the  length  of  the  bill,  with  the  opening  linear,  and  closed  by  a  membranous  scale. 
Wings  long;  Avith  the  first  quill  nearly  as  long  as  the  second  and  third,  Avhich  are  equal  and  longest. 
Tail  rather  short,  and  even.  Tarsi  longer  than,  or  as  long  as,  the  middle  toe,  rather  slender,  and  covered 
in  front  with  transverse  scales ;  those  near  the  toes  large,  and  of  a  hexagonal  form.  Toes  long  and 
rather  slender ;  the  outer  toe  longer  than  the  inner,  and  united  at  the  base  ;  the  hind  toe  long ;  the 
claws  moderate,  slight,  curved,  and  acute. 
The  species  of  this  genus  inhabit  most  parts  of  the  world,  performing  regular  migrations  according  to  the  change  of 
seasons  and  the  scarcity  of  food.  They  are  usually  seen  standing  solitary,  in  swamps  or  inundated  places,  shallow 
rivers,  or  pools  of  water,  with  their  necks  drawn  down  between  the  shoulders,  quietly  watching  the  approach  of  a  fish, 
which  they  no  sooner  observe  than  they  suddenly  dart  their  bill  upon  it,  and  swallow  it  in  an  instant.  They  also  feed 
upon  small  quadrupeds,  frogs,  and  various  kinds  of  insects  and  some  species  have  been  observed  perched  on  the  backs 
of  cattle,  and  feeding  on  the  larva?  of  insects  that  infest  their  hide.  The  nest  is  usually  built  on  the  loftiest  trees,  and 
on  elevated  buildings,  or  among  the  tall  reeds  on  the  borders  of  rivers  and  lakes,  and  is  formed  of  sticks,  lined  with 
small  twigs  loosely  put  together,  which  causes  it  to  be  large  and  flat.    The  eggs  are  usually  four  or  five  in  number. 
1.  A.  cinerea  Linn.  PI.  enl.  '755. — Ardea  major  Gmcl,  ;  Ar. 
rhenana  Sand.  PI.  enl.  787.  ;  Ar.  atra  Gmel.  ?  Gould,  13.  of  Eur. 
pi.  274. ;  Ar.  Brag  7".  Geqffr.  Voy.  find.  Ois.  t.  8. 
2.  A.  melanocephala  Childr.  &  Vig.  Denh.  &  Clapp.  Nar.  N.  & 
C.  Afr.  App.  201  Ardea  atricollis  Way/.  Smith,  111.  Zool.  S.  Afr. 
Birds,  pi.  86. 
3.  A.  purpurea  Linn.  PI.  enl.  788.  —  Ardea  botaurus  Gmel. ; 
Ar.  rufa  Scop. ;  Ar.  purpurata  Gmcl.  ;  Ar.  variegata  Scop.  ;  Ar. 
caspica  Gmel.  Reise,  ii.  t.  24. ;  Ar.  monticola  Peyr.  ;  Ar.  rubiginosa 
Gmcl.  Gould,  B.  of  Eur.  pi.  274. 
4.  A.  Herodias  Linn.  Catesb.  Carol.  App.  pi.  10.  f.  1.,  WUs. 
Amer.  Orn.  pi.  65.  f.  5.,  Audub.  B.  of  Aust.  pi.  —  Ardea  hudsonias 
Linn.  Edwards's  Birds,  pi.  1.35. 
5.  A.  occidental  Audub.  B.  of  Amer.  pi.  281. 
6.  A.  Cocni  Linn.  —  Ardea  palliata  III. ;  Ar.  Soco  et  Ar.  caerules- 
cens  Vieill. ;  Ar.  maguari  Spix,  Av.  Bras.  t.  90. ;  Ar.  major  Mol.  ? 
7.  A.  pacifica  Lath.  Jard.  &  Selby,  111.  Orn.  pi.  90.  -  Ardea 
bullaragang  Wagl. 
8.  A.  typhon  Temm.  PI.  col.  475. 
9.  A.  nobilis  Blyth,  Ann.  of  Nat.  Hist.  1844.  p.  175.  —  Ardea 
insignis  Hodgs. 
10.  A.  goliat  Temm.  PI.  col.  474.,  Riipp.  Faun.  Abyss,  t.  26. 
11.  A.fusca  Blyth,  Ann.  Nat.  Hist.  1814.  p.  176. 
12.  A.  alba  Gmel.  PI.  enl.  886.  —  Ardea  Candida  Brits.  ;  Ar. 
egrettoules  Gmel.  Reise,  ii.  t.  25. ;  Ar.  Torra  et  Ar.  putea  Buck. 
13.  A.  egretto'ides  Temm.  Mann.  d'Orn.  pt.  iv.  p.  374. 
14.  ?  A.  longicollis  Meyen,  Nov.  Acta,  xvi.  p.  104. — Ardeola 
candidissima  Camcli. 
15.  A.  favirostris  Temm.  Wagl.  Syst.  Av.  Ar.  sp.  9. 
16.  A.  syrmatophorus  Gould,  Proc.  Z.  S.  1846.  p.  .,  B.  of 
Austr.  pi. 
17.  A.  intermedia  Wagl.  Isis,  1829-  p.  659. 
18.  A.  melunopus  Wagl.  Isis,  1829.  p.  660. 
19.  A.  egretta  Gmel.  PI.  enl.   925  Ardea  leuce  ///.  Wils. 
Amer.  Orn.  pi.  6l.  f.  4. 
20.  A.  nigrirostris  Gray,  Zool.  .Misc.  p.  19.,  111.  Ind.  Zool.  pi.  49. 
f.  2. 
21.  A.  modesta  Gray,  Zool.  Misc.  p.  IQ.,  111.  Ind.  Zool.  pi.  49. 
f.  1. 
22.  A.  garzetta  Linn.  —  Ardea  nivea,  N.  C.  Petr.  xv.  p.  458. 
t.  17.;  Ar.  xanthodactylos  Gmel.;  Type  of  Herodias  Boie 
(1822). 
23.  ?  A.  orientalis  Gray,  Zool.  Misc.  p.  20.,  111.  Ind.  Zool.  pi.  1 1 . 
pi.  65. 
24.  A.  immaculata  Gould,  Proc.  Z.  S.  1846.  p.    .,  B.  of  Austr. 
pL 
25.  A.  candidissima  Gmel.  Jacq.  Vog.  t.  13.,  Wils.  Amer.  Orn. 
pi.  62.  f.  4.,  PI.  enl.  901.  — Ardea  Thula  Mol. 
26.  A.  rufa  Bodd.  —  Ardea  rufescens  Gmel.  PI.  enl.  902.  ;  Ar- 
dea Pealei  Pr.  Bonap.  Amer.  Orn.  pi.  26.  f.  1. 
*  Linnteus  established  this  genus  in  1735.  Herodias  of  M.  Boie  (1822)  (with  which  Egretta  of  the  Prince  of  Canino  (  1831)  is  coequal), 
Garzetta  of  Dr.  Kaup,  Erodius  of  Mr.  Macgillivray  (1842),  Ardeola  (1822)  and  also  Buphus  (1826)  of  M.  Boie,  and  Ardetta  of  G.  R.  Gray 
(with  which  Ardeola  of  the  Prince  of  Canino  (1828)  is  coequal)  are  synonymous. 
7  A 
