ARDEID-E — THE HERONS. 
3 
quently with ornamental plumes. Plumage generally handsome and variegated. 
Two to three pairs of powder-down tracts. Other characters variable. 
The Herons are among the most widely diffused of birds, one species, our common 
Night Heron {Nycticorax griseus), being nearly or quite cosmopolitan. Many of the 
Old World forms have not been examined in the present connection, but there 
is good reason for believing that the number of sub-families here recognized as 
represented in America can be consistently increased. 
Sub-family Ardeinae. Outer toe equal to, or decidedly longer than, the inner. Claws usually 
short, generally strongly curved. Three pairs of powder-down tracts. Rectrices lengthened, 
stiffish, twelve in number (except in Zebrilus). 
Sub-family Botaurinae. Outer toe decidedly shorter than the inner. Claws long, slender, slightly 
curved. Two pairs only of powder-down tracts. Rectrices very short, soft, only ten in number. 
Synopsis of American Genera . 1 
a. Sub-family ARDEINdL — The Tkue Herons. 
A. Rectrices twelve; tibice with the lower portion more or less naked, 
a. Pectoral and inguinal powder-down tracts widely separated. 
b Malar region completely feathered (except in Pilherodius, where anterior part is bare). Bill 
shorter than the tarsus and middle toe (usually shorter than, or about equal to, the tarsus). 
— 1. Ardea. Size very large. Adult with scapular plumes elongated, narrowly-lanceolate, and 
with compact webs ; in the breeding season, the occiput with two long, slender, compact- 
webbed, pendant plumes. Color mainly plumbeous- or slate-blue (rarely — e. g. white 
phase of A. occidentalis — wholly pure white). Culmen shorter than the middle toe. 
2. Herodias. Size large, but smaller than the species of the preceding genus. Adult with 
the scapular plumes greatly elongated, reaching far beyond the end of the tail, the shafts 
thick and rigid, the webs decomposed, hair-like, and distant. Color entirely pure white. 
3. Garzetta. Size small. Adult with occipital, jugular, and scapular plumes, the latter 
reaching to or a little beyond the end of the tail ; the shafts moderately rigid, and re- 
curved terminally ; the webs decomposed, with long, hair-like, but not distant fibres 
Other plumes varying in structure, according to the species. Color entirely pure white. 
— 4 Dichromanassa. Size medium. Adult with the feathers of the entire head and neck, 
excepting the throat and foreneck, elongated, linear, lanceolate, and stiffish, most elon- 
gated on the occiput and jugulum. Scapular plumes extending beyond end of tail ; the 
shafts rigid, the webs decomposed, with rather close, hair-like fibrilke. Color wholly 
pure white, or plumbeous, with or without reddish neck. Tarsus twice as long as 
middle toe. 
— 5. Hydranassa. Size medium. Adult with an occipital tuft of several elongated, lanceolate 
white feathers. Jugular feathers broadly lanceolate, with distinct outlines. Scapular 
plumes hair-like, extending a little beyond the tail. Color mainly plumbeous, with lower 
parts and rump white. Bill longer than tarsus. 
_ 6. Florida. Size small. Adult with scapular plumes elongated, extending to or beyond end 
of tail, linear-lanceolate, with compact webs ; jugular plumes similar ; occipital plumes 
hair-like, a few of them much elongated. Color pure white, with bluish tips to outer 
primaries, dark slate-blue with maroon-colored head and neck, or variously “patched” 
with blue and white. 
— 7. Butorides. Size small. Adult with scapular plumes elongated, compact- webbed, lance- 
olate, but with rounded tips. Feathers of the pileum elongated, lanceolate. Jugular 
plumes broad, blended. Culmen longer than tarsus ; middle toe almost equal to tarsus. 
Color much variegated. 
1 The genera enclosed in brackets are extralimital. 
