SPERMOPHILUS TRIDECEM-LINEATUS, (Mitch.) Aud. & Bach.

The Striped Prairie Squirrel is very common on the Coteau; their holes may be seen almost everywhere and in large numbers. This Squirrel makes its appearance very early in the spring, as soon as the ground is thawed sufficiently, and is seen daily until the approach of winter drives it to its underground home. This Squirrel is a very polite animal, always, before retiring to its home when disturbed, stopping at its hole, standing on its hind legs for a moment, bowing, and then disappearing. The young are brought forth during the latter part of May and early in June, and I believe there is but one litter annually, usually containing from four to eight.

The following are the measurements of the specimens preserved:

The Porcupine was a few years ago found on the Coteau, in the vicinity

of this post, in small numbers. None have been seen of late years, however, and I believe it is not an inhabitant of this section of the country.

LEPUS CAMPESTRIS, Bach.

LEPORIDÆ.

The Prairie Hare is found here in small numbers only.

LEPUS SYLVATICUS, Bach.

The Gray Rabbit is not common on the Coteau des Prairies.

NOTE.-All measurements have been carefully taken in the flesh, and are expressed in inches and hundredths.

The name of the post at which these collections have been made was changed from Fort Wadsworth to Fort Sisseton in August, 1876.

ART. IX.-STUDIES OF THE AMERICAN HERODIONES.

PART I-SYNOPSIS OF THE AMERICAN GENERA OF ARDEIDE AND CICONIIDE; INCLUDING DESCRIPTIONS OF THREE NEW GENERA, AND A MONOGRAPH OF THE AMERICAN SPECIES OF THE GENUS ARDEA, LINN.

BY ROBERT RIDGWAY.

ORDER HERODIONES.-ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES. <Herodiones, BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 97 (includes Gruidæ, Psophiida, Cariamidæ (“Sariamidœ”), Aramidæ, “Ciconida”, Ardeidæ, Cancromidæ, Scopidæ, Eurypygidæ, Phoenicopterida, Plataleidæ, and "Tantalida").—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 651 (includes Gruidæ, Aramidæ, Ardeidæ," Tantalido", Plataleida, and Phonicopterida).-SCL. & SALV. Nom. Neotr. 1873, vii. (includes Ardeida, Ciconiida, Plataleidæ, and Phoenicopterida).

= Herodiones (suborder, < Grallatores), COUES, Key, 1872, 240, 262.-BouUCARD, Catalogus Avium, 1876, 48 (order: includes "Tantalida", Dromadidæ, Ardeidæ, “ Ciconiida", and Plataleida).

Erodii, NITZSCH, t. c. 127 (includes Ardea and other Ardeida, Cancroma, and Eurypyga). Pelargi, NITZSCH, Pterylog. 1840, 130 (includes Scopus, Ciconia, Anastomus, and Tantalus).-SUNDEV. Met. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 123.

Herodii, SUNDEV. t. c. 122.

<Grallatores longirostres, REICHENB. Handb. 1851, xi. xiii. (includes Ibidida and Tantalina).

> Grallatores magnirostres, REICHENB. t. c. xi. v. (includes Ardeidæ, Ciconiidæ, and Plataleida).

<Grallæ, LILLJEBORG, P. Z. S. 1866, 10, 15 (includes Phoenicopteridæ, Rallidæ, Palamedeida, Psophida, Ardeida," Ciconida”, Gruidæ," Totanida", Scolopacida, Charadridæ, and Otidida !).—GRAY, Handlist, iii. 1871, v. 7 (includes Otidic, Charadriadæ, Glareolidæ, Thinocorida, Chionidida Hamatopodida, Psophida, Cariamida, Gruidæ, Eurypygidæ, Rhynochetida, Ardeida, Ciconiida, Plataleida, "Tantalida", Dromadida, Scolopacida, Phalaropodidæ, Rallidæ,“ Gallinulidæ”, Heliornithida, Parrida, and Palamedeida!).

= Pelargomorpha, HUXLEY, P. Z. S. 1867, 461.

(=1) Grallatores altinares, SUNDEV. Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 121 (includes "Herodii" and "Pelargi "; under the latter [as "Fam. 4"] Scopina, including Balaniceps!).

CH.-Altricial Grallatores, with the hallux lengthened, and nearly or quite incumbent; in habits more or less arboreal (generally nesting on trees, while all are "Perchers"). Palate desmognathous. Carotids double.

The above brief diagnosis is sufficient to succinctly characterize this

eminently natural group of birds. The Herodiones, which include the Boatbills (Cancromida), Herons (Ardeida), Storks (Ciconiida), Ibises (Ibidida), and Spoonbills (Plataleida), with, perhaps, but not certainly, some other minor groups, are at once distinguished from the Flamin. goes (Phoenicopteri), Cranes (Grues), and all other wading-birds, by their altricial nature, the young being born completely helpless, and have to be reared in the nest by the constant attention of their parents, while those of other wading-birds are at once capable of active movement and able to immediately shift for themselves, although they follow their parents for a considerable time.*

There are also equally important osteological† and anatomical peculiarities of structure, which alone are sufficient to demonstrate the fact that this group is not intimately related to other Waders, and that their general exterior resemblance to the latter is one of analogy and not of affinity.

The water-birds most nearly related structurally to the Herodiones are the Steganopodes-Pelicans, Cormorants, Gannets, and their allieswhich are likewise both desmognathous and altricial; and what is an important fact in this connection is the circumstance that besides being altricial, they are, with very few exceptions, also decidedly arboreal, most of them even placing their nests on trees. They are swimmers, however, instead of being merely waders.

Without discussing further the characters which distinguish this "order", I proceed to define the families into which it seems most naturally divisible.

SYNOPSIS OF THE AMERICAN HERODIONINE FAMILIES. A.-Pterylæ very narrow, interspersed with "powder-down" tracts. Hallux perfectly incumbent; inner edge of middle claw distinctly pectinated. (Herodiones ardeiniformes, Herodii, SUNDEV. Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 122.)

=

1. CANCROMIDE. Four pairs of powder-down tracts. Bill greatly depressed and excessively dilated laterally, the lateral outlines much bowed; gonys excessively short, not longer than the width of the mandibular rami.

*It is my opinion that the importance of this distinction between birds has not been sufficiently recognized. It is certainly a more natural division than that of "Psilopades" and "Ptilopædes” (Sundevall, Methodi Naturalis Avium Disponendarum Tentamen, Stockholm, 1872-73), whereby the Struthiones are brought into close relationship with the Gallina, and the Herodiones next to the Limicola and Grues-certainly a much more artificial arrangement.

+ According to Huxley (P. Z. S. 1867, 461), the osteological characters of this group are as follows::

There are no basipterygoid processes; the palatines are usually united for a greater or less distance behind the posterior nares, and are destitute of a vertical plate depending from their junction; the maxillo-palatines large and spongy; the sternum broad, and with two to four posterior notches. The relation between the phalanges is the same as in the Chenomorpha and Amphimorphæ.

2. ARDEIDÆ. Two to three pairs of powder-down tracts. Bill compressed, elongate-conical, the lateral outlines straight or even a little concave; the vertical outlines nearly straight, slightly convex terminally; gonys lengthened, several times longer than the width of the mandibular rami.

B.-Pterylæ broad, without powder-down tracts. Hallux elevated at the base above the base of the anterior toes; inner edge of middle claw not pectinated; claws resting upon a horny, crescentic "shoe". (Herodiones ciconiiformes, Pelargi, SUNDEV. Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 123.)

=

a. Sides of the maxilla without any trace of lateral groove. Skull holorhinal. Angle of the mandible truncated. Pectoralis major muscle in two easily separable layers. No accessory femoro-caudal muscle; semitendinosus musle tendinous for its distal half; biceps cubiti and tensor patagii longus muscles unconnected. (GARROD.*)

3. CICONIIDÆ. Bill elongate-conical, either straight or curved a little up or down at the end.

b. Sides of the maxilla with a deep, narrow groove, extending uninterruptedly from the nasal fossæ to the extreme tip of the bill. Skull schizorhinal. Angle of the mandible produced and decurved. Pectoralis major muscle simple (not separable into distinct layers); accessory femoro-caudal muscle well developed; semitendinosus muscle muscular throughout; biceps cubiti and tensor patagii longus muscles connected by a small muscular "belly". (GARROD.)

4. IBIDIDÆ. Bill slender, attenuated terminally, nearly cylindrical or somewhat compressed, conspicuously decurved, or arched above.

5. PLATALEIDE. Bill very broad, excessively depressed and greatly expanded terminally, much narrowed across the middle portion, the extreme tip only much decurved.

In addition to the above well-defined families, all of which have American representatives, while one (Cancromida) is peculiarly American, there are several others which probably belong to the Herodiones, but which, excepting the American family Eurypygida (Sun Bitterns), I have had no opportunity to examine, and therefore pass by for the present without special reference.

The Eurypygida are small, Bittern-like birds, with beautifullyvariegated plumage, and differ from the true Herons in their densely feathered lores, shorter and more elevated hallux, absence of pectinations to the edge of the middle claw, very long (extremely unheron-like) tail, and other features. Later systematists have placed this form near the Rails (Rallidæ)—far from the Herodiones. It comes much nearer the latter, however, since, while being decidedly Herodi

*See P. Z. S. 1875, p. 301.