Without more specimens, however, or without further information, I hesitate to give this form a new name. Bonaparte (Consp. ii. p. 110) quotes "major? Molina" among the synonyms of A. cocoi, and further remarks," Specimina brasiliensia minora. Specimina ex Montevideo majora." It is quite likely, although no mention is made of any differences in coloration, that Bonaparte had in view the race whose distinctive characters have just been given, and that some name may be found, perhaps Molina's "major", applicable to this larger, whitefronted, Southern race.*

<Herodias, BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 125. (Nec Boie, 1822.)

Demiegretta, BAIRD, Birds N. Am. 1858, 662. (Nec Blyth, 1846.) <Florida, BOUCARD, Catal. Av. 1876, 50. (Nec Baird, 1858.)

Ardea, AUCT. (Nec Linn. 1766.)

Dichromanassa, RIDGW. MS. (Type Ardea rufa Bodd.)

GEN. CH.-Medium-sized Herons, of uniform white or plumbeous plumage, with (adult) or without (young) cinnamon-colored head and neck; the form slender, the toes very short and the legs very long; the adults with the entire head and neck (except throat and foreneck) covered with long, narrowly-lanceolate, compact-webbed feathers, which on the occiput form an ample crest, the feathers of which are very narrowly lanceolate and decurved.

Bill much longer than the middle toe (about two-thirds the tarsus), the upper and lower outlines almost precisely similar in contour, being nearly parallel along the middle portion, where slightly approximated; the terminal portion of both culmen and gonys gently and about equally curved. Mental apex extending to a little more than one-third the distance from the middle of the eye to the tip of the bill, or to about even with the anterior end of the nostril; malar apex about even with that of the frontal feathers. Toes very short, the middle one less than half the tarsus, the hallux less than half the middle toe; bare portion of

* Frazer (1. c.) gives an Ardea major from Southern Chile, which is, no doubt, one of the races of this species; it may be well to mention, however, that the only Chilian specimen I have seen resembles Buenos Ayres and Paraguayan examples, and is, therefore, true cocoi.

tibia more than half as long as tarsus; scutellation of tarsus, etc., as in Herodias, Garzetta, and allied genera.

Plumes of the adult consisting of a more or less lengthened train of fastigiate, stiff-shafted feathers, with long, loose, and straight plumules, and extending beyond the tail; in addition to this train, the scapulars, and the feathers of the whole head and neck, except the throat and foreneck, are long and narrow, distinctly lanceolate, and acuminate, with compact webs, and on the occiput are developed into an ample decurved crest.

Affinities. This genus is perhaps most nearly allied to Demiegretta, Blyth, with which it agrees quite closely in the form of the bill, and also, to a considerable extent, in coloration. Demiegretta, however, is at once distinguished by its extremely short tarsus (much shorter than the bill, instead of nearly a third longer!), which is altogether more abbreviated than in any American genus of this group, in proportion to the other dimensions. The plumes also are entirely different, there being none on the neck, with the exception of the jugulum, while those of the back are slenderly lanceolate, with compact webs, almost exactly as in Florida cærulea. The very great difference in form between Demiegretta and the present genus may be more clearly shown by the statement that while the bill and wing, as well as the general bulk, are nearly the same in the two, Demiegretta has the tarsus about 2.75 instead of 5.80 inches long, the middle toe 2.10 instead of 2.80, and the bare portion of the tibia 1.20 instead of 3.50! It will thus be seen that the proportions are entirely different in the two forms. The bill of Demiegretta is also very much. more obtuse than that of Dichromanassa.

Demiegretta nova-hollandia (Latb.) is of more slender build than the type-species, and is scarcely strictly congeneric; but it is otherwise similar, especially in the character of the plumage. The bill is more slen der, approaching in form that of Hydranassa, but still different; the legs are also more elongated, but are decidedly less so thau in the genus. under consideration.

Genus SYRIGMA, Ridgway.

<Ardea, AUCT. (Nec Linnæus.)

<Buphus, BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 127. (Nec Boie, 1826.)

<Ardeola, GRAY, Handlist, iii. 1871, 30. (Nec Boie, 1822.)-BOUCARD, Catal. Avium, 1876, 51.

➡Syrigma, RIDGWAY, MS. (Type Ardea sibilatrix Temm.)

GEN. CII.-Medium-sized or rather small Herons, with a general resemblance to the Night Herons (Nyctiardea, Nyctherodius, and Pillerodius), but of more variegated colors and very different proportions. Bill rather small (a little longer than the head and slightly exceeding *Type, Ardea jugularis, BLYTH, Notes on the Fauna of the Nicobar Islands, Journ. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, xv. 1846, 376, = Herodias concolor, BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 121, Ardea sacra, GMEL. This Heron also is dichromatic, having a pure-white phase as in Dickromanassa rufa, the normal plumage being uniform dark plumbeous or slate.

=

the middle toe), much compressed anteriorly, the lower outline nearly straight, the upper straight for the basal two-thirds, the terminal por tion gently carved; basal half of the culmen forming a distinct keel, with nearly vertical sides, the nasal fossæ of unusual depth and length; upper tomium gently concave auteriorly. Mental apex a little less than half-way from the centre of the eye to the point of the bill, and about even with the anterior end of the nostril; malar apex a little posterior to the frontal one. Tarsus slender, about one-third longer than the middle toe, the front with regular transverse scutellæ. · Outer toe longer than the inner, and reaching almost to the terminal joint of the middle toe; hallux nearly half as long as the middle toe; bare portion of tibia a little shorter than the inner toe; claws small (except the hinder one), moderately curved, and acute. First and fourth primaries nearly equal and longest; outer three with their inner webs very faintly sinuated near their ends. Tail moderate, even, of twelve moderately hard, broad feathers. No dorsal, scapular, or jugular plumes, but feathers of the lower neck much developed, broad, round-ended, and rather loose-webbed. Nuchal feathers narrow, and forming a sort of loose mane; occiput with a crest of six or more narrow, rather stiff, and slightly recurved flat plumes, the two largest about as long as the tar sus, the rest successively graduated in length.

Affinities.-The nearest ally of this genus is probably Nyctherodius, which agrees quite closely in the proportious of the feet, and, to a certain extent, in the character of the plumage, particularly the occipital crest. Even in these particulars, however, it is very distinct, while in other respects the two are exceedingly different. The bill is somewhat like that of Nyctiardea, but is very much smaller and more slender, and is other wise different. Upon the whole, it is a very strongly-characterized genus, without a very near relative in America, and, so far as I have been able to discover, in any portion of the Old World.

SYNOPSIS OF THE AMERICAN SUBFAMILIES AND GENERA OF

CICONIIDÆ.*
Synonymy.

< Ardeida, VIGORS, 1825, et AUCT. ANTIQ.

=(?) Ciconiidæ, SELYS, Fauna Belg. 1842.

Ciconiido, BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 104 (excludes Tantalus).—GRAY, Handlist, iii. 1871, 34 (do.).—BOUCARD, Catal. Av. 1876, 52 (do.).

I have hesitated somewhat whether to employ, as the family-name for the Storks and their near relatives the Wood Ibises, the term Ciconiida or that of Tantalidæ; the latter has decided priority (1831 instead of 1842), but is objectionable on account of having been originally bestowed upon a non-typical group, while it has most often been employed in a wider sense, including, besides the Wood Ibises, the Ibises proper (Ibidide). Its adoption in the present case would, therefore, lead to confusion. As to the term Ciconiidæ, there is far less objection: it has always been used specially for the true Storks, and, although not always including the Wood Ibises, has been employed in this wider and proper sense by many authors. I therefore conclude to retain the term Ciconiide as the family designation of the present group.

= Ciconiidæ, SCL. & SALV. Nom. Neotr. 1873 (includes Tantalus).

< Ciconida, LILLJ. P. Z. S. 1866, 15, 17 (includes "Ciconina", "Plataleina" Pløtaleidæ, and "Tantalina" — Ibidida + Tantalus).

=

=Pelargi, NITZSCH, Pterylog. 1833, 130 (includes Scopus, Ciconia, Anastomus and Tantalus).

> Ciconiina, SUNDEV. Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 123. [< Pelargi.]

Diagnosis.

Large, Crane-like birds, with the bill much longer than the head, thick through the base, and more or less elongate-conical; the nostrils subbasal, more or less superior, and bored into the bony substance of the bill, without overhanging or surrounding membrane; maxilla without any lateral groove (extending forward from the nostril). Legs covered with small, longitudinally-hexagonal scales; claws short,, depressed, their ends broad and convex, resting upon horny, crescentic "shoes"; ballux with its base elevated decidedly above the base of the anterior toes.

The above characters are sufficient to define this family, which is more intimately related to the true Ibises (Ibidida) and Spoonbills (Plataleida) than to the Herons. (See page 221.) There are two well-marked subfamilies, with the following characters :

CICONIINÆ.-Bill elongate conical, acute, compressed, the end not decurved. Nostrils rather lateral than superior. Toes very short, the middle one much less than half the tarsus (only a little more than onethird); lateral toes nearly equal; claws short, broad, nail-like.

TANTALINA.- Bill elongated, subconical, subcylindrical, the end attenuated and decurved, with the tip rounded; nostrils decidedly superior; toes long, the middle one one-half or more the length of the tarsus; lateral toes unequal, the outer decidedly longer than the inner; claws moderately lengthened, rather narrow, claw-like.

Subfamily CICONIINE.-The Storks.

Synonymy.

=Ciconiinæ, GRAY, 1840; Handlist, iii. 1871, 34.-BOUCARD, Cat. Av. 1876, 52.-BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 104.

Ciconiina, SUNDEV. Meth. Nat. Av. Disp. Tent. 1872, 123 (includes also Anastomus and Tantalus).

=Ciconinæ, LILLJ. P. Z. S. 1866, 17.

SYNOPSIS OF THE AMERICAN GENERA.

EUXENURA.-Bill moderately large, its upper and lower outlines straight throughout; entire head and neck feathered, except the lores and a bare strip along each side of the throat. Tail abbreviated and deeply forked, the feathers very rigid, the lower tail-coverts elongated (extending beyond the true tail), and stiffened, so as to resemble true rectrices! (Type, Ardea maguari Gmel.=Ciconia maguari Auct.=Mycteria americana, Linn.!!!) MYCTERIA.-Bill enormously large, the terminal half recurved. Entile head and neck naked, except a hairy, longitudinal patch on the

öcciput. Tail and tail-coverts normal. (Type, Mycteria americana Gmel. nec Linn.*)

Genus EUXENURA, Ridgway.

< Ciconia, BRISSON, Orn. v. 369, n. 3.-BONAP. Consp. ii. 1855, 104, et AUCT.

(Type, Ardea maguari, Gmel.)

aize
aizengo

GEN. CH.-Large, Stork-like birds, with long, compressed, elongate conical bill; long, densely-feathered necks; short toes and partly feathered heads as in Ciconia, but differing from that genus in the form of the tail, which is short and deeply forked, with very rigid feathers; the longer lower coverts similar to ordinary rectrices in form and development, having their upper surface convex, the shafts stiff, and the webs firm, thus presenting the appearance of a second tail!

Bill about equal to the tarsus, much compressed, its vertical outline elongate-conical, the terminal third of the culmen and gonys slightly convex; gonys shorter than the mandibular rami; nostrils almost linear,

overhung by a sharp, projecting, horny edge, situated near the base of the maxilla, and nearer the culmen than the tomium. Middle toe about two-sevenths as long as the tarsus; outer toe reaching to the subterminal articulation of the middle toe; the inner toe a little shorter; hallux about half as long as the inner toe; bare portion of tibia about half the length of the tarsus and middle toe combined. Plumage compact above, loose beneath, particularly on the jugulum, where the feathers are longer, and with decomposed webs; entire lore and a wide suborbital space naked and somewhat papillose; chin and a wide strip on each side of the throat bare. Tertials extending to or slightly beyond the tips of the primaries; third or fourth quill longest.

Tail a little more than one-third the wing, deeply forked (the intermediæ a little more than half the length of the next to the outer pair, the lateral pair a little shorter than the next), the feathers broad and

*While giving a correct diagnosis of his genus Mycteria, with M. americana as type, Linnæus (S. N. i. 1766, 233) describes as the latter, in unmistakable terms, the birds afterward named Ardea maguari by Gmelin. The references given by Linoæus, however, refer mainly to the true Mycteria!