REPRINTED FROM 
The Journae of Comparative 
Medicine and Surgery, 
July, 1889. 
Art. XV.—OSTEOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE SUB¬ 
FAMILY ARDEINJE. 
By R. W. Shufeedt, M.D. C.M.Z.S. 
[Part I.] 
Not many years ago, under the name of Herons, ornithologi¬ 
cal writers and systematists tolerated a very ill-assorted group of 
birds to constitute a single family, the Ardeidce. Under this head 
were found associated many alien forms, the majority of which 
bore some external resemblance to a Heron. Of these we may 
mention the Storks, now constituting the family Ciconiida % the 
Cranes the Gruidce , and many others. 
In 1863, Professor Schlegel published a catalogue of Heron¬ 
like birds, contained in the Museum of Leyden—in which he ad¬ 
mitted sixty-one species and five conspecies, all referred to the 
genus Ardea. This genus he divided into eight sections, to each 
of which he awarded a name, as the Rail-like Herons, the Egrets 
and Semi-Egrets, and so on. 
Eight years later Dr. G. R. Gray swelled this list to ninety 
forms—while in 1877, Reichenow recognized but sixty-seven 
Ardeidce , with a nuhiber of sub-species and varieties. This 
group, the latter writer divided into the three genera, Ardea , 
Nycticorax , and Botaurus. 
The subject of the grouping of the American forms, was first 
seriously attacked by Mr. Ridgway in his excellent monograph, 
entitled “Studies of the American Herodiones” the first part 
of which so far has only appeared. 
Here five families of the American Herodiones are presented, 
viz : the Cancromidee , the Ardeidce , the Ciconiidce , the Ibididce , 
and the Platcileidce. Sixteen genera of the Ardeidce are given 
and four species assigned to the genus Ardea. 
In his introduction to this classification, Mr. Ridgway says : 
“ The water-birds most nearly related structurally to the Hero- 
dioiies are the Steganopodes —Pelicans, Cormorants, Gannets, and 
heir allies—which are likewise both desmognathous and altricial, 
