THE REDDISH EGRET. 
145 
never goes far inland ; returns to the Southern States as soon as the young 
are able to travel. 
11. The Green Heron. Ardea virescens. Resident in the Floridas ; dis- 
perses over the Union ; goes far inland ; the greater number return at the 
approach of winter to the Southern States. 
12. The Least Bittern. Ardea exilis. Resident in the Floridas ; mi- 
grates as far as Maine, and throughout the Western Country, far up the 
Missouri ; returns early in autumn to the Southern States. 
You will see from the above statement, that the Herons are almost similar 
to our Pigeons in respect to the extent of their migrations, which must 
appear the more remarkable on account of their comparative size, Ardea 
Herodias and A. virescens corresponding in a great degree to the Columba 
migratoria and C. carolinensis. 
Ardea rufescens, Gmel. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 628. 
Peale’s Egret Heron, Ardea Pcalii , Bonap. Amer. Orn., vol. iv. p. 96. Young. 
Peale’s Egret, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 49. Young. 
Reddish Egret, Ardea rufescens , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 411 ; vol. v. p. 604. 
t 
Male, 31, 46. 
Resident on the Florida Keys, and in Galveston Bay. Never seen inland. 
Extremely abundant. 
Adult Male. 
Bill much longer than the head, straight, compressed, tapering, the man- 
dibles nearly equal in size. Upper mandible with the dorsal line nearly 
straight, the ridge broad and convex at the base, afterwards very narrow, a 
groove from the base to near the end, beneath which the sides are convex, 
the edges thin and sharp, with a notch on each side close to the narrow but 
obtuse tip. Nostrils basal, linear, longitudinal. Lower mandible with the 
angle long and extremely narrow, the dorsal line beyond it ascending and 
very slightly convex, the edges sharp and slightly inflected, the tip very 
narrow but obtuse. 
Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Neck very long and slender. 
Body slender and compressed. Feet very long ; tibia elongated and slender, 
its lower half bare, covered all round with angular scales ; tarsus elongated, 
slender, .compressed, covered anteriorly with numerous large scutella, late- 
rally and behind with angular scales. Toes of moderate length, rather 
slender, scutella above, reticularly granulate beneath ; third toe considerably 
longer than the fourth, which is in nearly the same proportion longer than 
the second, the first much shorter, but strong ; claws rather small, strong, 
arched, compressed, obtuse, that of hind toe much larger, the inner edge of 
that of the third regularly pectinated. 
Vol. YI. 20 
