Ardea (ardea)

[L., [L., a heron; cf. Gr. έρω διός, a heron.]" The typical genus of the family Great Blue Heron ( Ardea herodias ). Ardeida, and formerly coextensive with it. It is variously restricted to exclude the bitterns ( Botaurus ) and night-herons ( Nyctiardea ), or to include only the large species intimately related to the common heron of Europe, A. cinerea, such as A. goliath of Africa; A. herodias, the great blue heron of North America; A. occidental is, the great white heron of Florida; A. coco i, the large blue heron of South America, etc. The egrets are sometimes referred to this genus, and sometimes made types of several others. ardeb (är'deb), n. [Ar. irdab, urdab (Mahn).] The principal Egyptian measure of capacity (not used for liquids), legally containing 401 imperial gallons, or 5.2 United States (Winchester) bushels, or 183.2 liters. But other ardebs are in use, ranging from little more than half the above up to 284 liters; this, the ardeb of Rosetta, was at one time the commonest. See artaba.