4 
ALTRICIAL G-RALLATORES — IIERODIONES. 
8. [Syrigma.] Size medium. Adult with several elongated, narrow, compact-webbed, round- 
tipped, somewhat rigid and slightly recurved plumes on lower part of occiput. Jugular 
feathers soft, broad, blended. No scapular plumes. Culmen about equal to middle toe. 
Color much variegated, the tail and lower parts white. 
9. [Pilherodius.] Size medium. Orbits and anterior part of malar region naked. Occiput 
with two extremely elongated linear, compact- webbed plumes. Jugular plumes broad, 
blended. No scapular plumes. Color white, the crown and occiput black. Middle toe 
shorter than culmen ; culmen shorter than tarsus. 
10. Nycticorax. Size medium. Adult with several extremely elongated linear, compact- 
webbed occipital plumes. No scapular plumes. Jugular feathers broad, blended. Cul- 
men about equal to tarsus ; tarsus slightly longer than middle toe. Lateral outlines of 
bill concave ; gonvs nearly straight. Adult and young exceedingly different in plumage. 
— 11. Nyctherodius. Size medium. Adult with several extremely elongated linear, compact- 
webbed occipital plumes. Scapular plumes elongated, narrow, round-tipped, the webs 
somewhat decomposed. Jugular feathers broad, blended. Culmen much shorter than 
tarsus (a little longer than middle toe) ; tarsus much longer than middle toe. Color 
much variegated. Lateral outlines of the bill straight ; gonys very convex. Adult and 
young exceedingly different in plumage. 
§§. Malar region entirely naked. Bill longer than tarsus and middle toe. 
12. [Agamia.] Size medium. Bill extremely elongated, narrow, and compressed. Adult 
with greatly elongated, broadly lanceolate, acute occipital plumes ; lower back with simi- 
lar, but more loosely webbed, plumes overhanging rump. Sides of neck with recurved, 
sickle-shaped, narrow, and acute plumes. Jugular feathers broad, blended. Tarsus nearly 
twice middle toe. 
h. Pectoral and inguinal powder-down tracts united into a continuous strip. 
13. [Tigrisoma.] Malar region and throat naked, the latter with or without a medial feath- 
ered strip. Tarsus with hexagonal scutellw in front. Outer toe longer than inner ; claws 
short, strongly curved. Plumage much variegated ; feathers of neck loose, “ fluffy.” 
B. Rectrices ten. Tibiae with the lower portion completely feathered. Pectoral and inguinal powder- 
down tracts widely separated. Malar region completely feathered. 
14. [Zebrilus.] Size very small (among the smallest of Herons). Plumage exceedingly lax 
and “ fluffy.” Bill and feet very small. Culmen about equal to tarsus, both longer than 
middle toe ; outer toe longest. Plumage dull, with transverse undulations of dusky and 
light fulvous. 
b . Sub-family BOTAURINJS. — The Bitterns. 
15. Botaurus. Size medium, or rather large. Sexes similar ; young similar to adult. 
16. Ardetta. Size extremely small (the smallest of Herons). Sexes dissimilar (in all 
species ?) ; young slightly different from adult. 
Genus ARDEA, Linnaeus. 
Ardca, Linn. S. N. I. 1735; ed. 12, I. 1766, 233 (type, A. cinerca, Linn.). 
Audubonia, Bonap. Consp. II. 1855, 113 (type, Ardca occidentalism Aud.). 
Char. Herons of largest size (of Stork-like stature), the adults distinguished by lengthened, 
narrowly-lanceolate, acute jugular and scapular plumes (the former rather rigid, the latter over- 
hanging the wings and rump) ; a tuft of broad feathers on each side the breast (having a different 
color from adjacent parts), and, in the breeding season , by the presence of two or three extremely 
lengthened, narrow, pendant, occipital plumes. 
Culmen almost straight ; gonys ascending, more or less convex, about equal in length to the man- 
dibular rami ; upper and lower outlines of the bill parallel for the basal half. Mental apex anterior 
to half-way between point of bill and anterior angle of the eye ; frontal apex a little posterior to 
