ARDEID^ — ARDEIN^ : HERONS. 
657 
Always white. Adult with decomposed recurved feathers on back Garzetta 259 
Ashy-blue, white below. Bill longer than tarsus Ilydranassa 260 
Length 30, not 36 inches. Blue or white. Tarsus twice as long as middle toe. Bill shorter than 
tarsus Dichromanassa 261 
Length 36 or more. Entirely white ; no crest ; long decomposed feathers on back . . Herodias 268 
Length 42 or more; of dark varied colors, or white ; crested, without dorsal plumes . . Ardea 257 
60. Subfamily ARDEIN>E: True Herons. 
Tail-feathevs 12 (in all N. 
Am. genera), broad and stiff- 
ish. Powder-down tracts 3 
pairs. Tibiae 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. Tibiae 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 toe 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 
Ardea.) 
Fig. 457. 
Audubon. 
■Great Blue Heron, greatly reduced. (From Tenney, after 
Analysis of Species. 
(Europe.) cinerea 657 
Tibiae and edge of wing white ; occiput and plumes black. 
Tibiae 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 
. herodias 655 
occidentalis 656 
655. A. hero'dias. (Lat. herodias, a proper name ; Gr. epadias, erodias, a heron. Fig. 457.) Great 
Blue Heron. Of large size, and varied dark colors ; not dichromatic. Back without peculiar 
plumes at any season, but scapulars lengthened and lanceolate ; an occipital crest, two dc- 
42 
