The measurements of the specimens preserved are as follows:

SPERMOPHILUS FRANKLINI, (Sab.) Rich.

The Gray Gopher is quite common in this vicinity. It is not, however, an exclusively Ground Squirrel, being often seen on trees, and here its hole is usually found in a dead tree, but sometimes is dug at the foot of a tree. I believe it lays in a store of provisions sufficient for its winter use, and scarcely ever emerges from its home during this season, for careful search has failed to reveal its presence during winter.

It breeds about June 25th, and I believe but one litter is brought forth each year. The female suckles her young for five or six weeks.

Professor Baird, in his work on North American Mammals, pp. 306 and 315, is in error in stating that the "head is pure gray, without any tinge of yellowish". Such is undoubtedly the case with the young; but in mature specimens there is not only a tinge of yellowish, but this coloration is quite distinct, and occurs sufficiently often to consider it a normal marking of this mammal. I have observed the yellowish coloration extend as far on the head as the eyes, and also on the upper part of the tail for about one-fourth of its length.

The cheek pouches of S. franklini open internally, directly into the mouth, and are quite small, having a capacity of about one-third of a teaspoonful only.

The pouches themselves have no true muscular structure, being simply a pocket-shaped duplicature of the skin of the sides of the head, and possessing no more elastic power than this tissue ordinarily does.

The pouches do not extend quite to the ears, and we observe nothing like the muscular structure of the pouches of Geomys and Thomomys, which possess a true constrictor and a contractor muscle, but there is deflected from the posterior portion of the sac a special tendon, broad (comparatively speaking), which replaces the muscle found in the species of Geomys and Thomomys, but which soon becomes part of, and is lost in, the superficial fascia of the sides of the neck.

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.

Number.

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.

LEPORIDE.

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 (“ Sariamida"), Aramidæ, “Ciconidæ", Ardeidæ, Cancromidæ, Scopidæ, Eurypygidæ, Phoenicopterida, Plataleidæ, and “ Tantalidæ”).—BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 651 (includes Gruidæ, Aramidæ, Ardeida," Tantalidœ”, Plataleida, and Phonicopterida).-SCL. & SALV. Nom. Neotr. 1873, vii. (includes Ardeidæ, Ciconiidæ, Plataleida, and Phoenicopterida).

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

Erodii, NITZSCH, t. c. 127 (includes Ardea and other Ardeida, Cancroma, and Eurypyga). Pelargi, NITZSCH, Рterylog. 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 Ardeida, Ciconiidæ, and Pla

taleida).

<Grallæ, LILLJEBORG, P. Z. S. 1866, 10, 15 (includes Phanicopteridæ, Rallida, Palamedeida, Psophida, Ardeida," Ciconida”, Gruidæ, " Totanida", Scolopacida, Charadridæ, and Otidida !).—GRAY, Handlist, iii. 1871, v. 7 (includes Otidiæ, Charadriadæ, Glareolidæ, Thinocorida, Chionididæ Hæmatopodidæ, Psophidæ, Cariamidæ, Gruidæ, Eurypygidæ, Rhynochetidæ, Ardeidæ, Ciconiidæ, Plataleida, “Tantalidæ”, Dromadida, Scolopacidæ, Phalaropodidæ, Rallidæ,“ Gallinulidœ”, Heliornithidæ, Parrido, and Palamedeida!).

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

(=?) Grallatores altinares, SUNDEV. Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 121 (includes "Herodii" and "Pelargi"; under the latter [as "Fam. 4"] Scopinæ, 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 (Cancromidæ), Herons (Ardeida), Storks (Ciconiida), Ibises (Ibidida), and Spoonbills (Plataleida), with, perhaps, but not certainly, some other minor groups, are at once distinguished from the Flamingoes (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 "Ptilopades" (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.

tAccording 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 Chenomorphæ and Amphimorpha.