ARDEID2E — THE HERONS — ARDEA. 
the nostrils and slightly anterior to the malar apex. 1 Middle toe more than half the tarsus, and 
about equal to bare portion of tibia ; outer toe reaching to about the middle of the penultimate 
phalanx of the middle toe ; inner toe decidedly shorter, reaching only to the second articulation of 
the middle toe ; hallux a little longer than the basal phalanx of the outer toe ; claws rather short, 
strongly curyed. Front of tarsus with broad, transverse scutellae, in single series, for upper half. 
Pileurn crested, the feathers of the crown and occiput being elongated, lanceolate, and decurved. 
Primaries reaching decidedly beyond tertials. Second, third, and fourth quills nearly equal, and 
longest ; first longer than fifth ; inner webs of outer three slightly sinuated near ends. 
Synopsis of the American Species.' 2 
Com. Char. Above bluish-plumbeous, the penicillate scapular plumes more hoary ; remiges 
and rectrices slate-color. Lower parts longitudinally striped with black and white. Young with- 
out any plumes, and with the colors much duller, the pattern badly defined. 
A. Tibice and border of the wing purplish-cinnamon or rufous. 
1. A. occidentalis. Pileurn and occipital plumes, with rest of head, white ; forehead streaked 
with black. Sometimes whole plumage pure white! Culmen, 6.40-6.75; tarsus, 8.00- 
8.75; wing, 19.00-21.00. Hob. Florida to Southern Illinois ; Cuba; Jamaica. 
2. A. Wardi. Similar to A. occidentalis , the white phase apparently undistinguishable, but 
colored phase combining the head-pattern of A. herodias with light-colored under-parts 
and large size of “ Wurdemanni.” Culmen, 6.50-7.00 ; tarsus, 8.50-9.00 ; wing, 20.00- 
20.50. Hah. Southwestern Florida. 
3. A. herodias. Pileurn and occipital plumes black ; forehead and central feathers of the 
crown white ; culmen, 4.30-6.25 ; tarsus, 6.00-8.25 ; wing, 17.90-20.00. Hab. North 
America in general ; Middle America ; Galapagos ; Venezuela ; West Indies. 
1 The terms “mental apex,” “malar apex,” and “frontal apex” are here employed to denote the 
apices, or points, of the feathering of the head at the base of the bill. 
2 Of the exotic species properly referable to this genus, we have seen only A. purpurea, Linn. (Euro- 
pean). This seems to be strictly congeneric as to details of form, except that the claws are much length- 
ened ; but it has a very different system of coloration. 
A. herodias 
