172 ARDEIDZ. 
most of the States. We ourselves never met with the species in Guatemala, but we 
have one specimen in our collection sent by Mr.Sarg. In Nicaragua it has apparently 
not yet been noticed. 
Nothing has been recorded of the habits of this Heron in Central America. In 
South America, where the species is widely distributed, it seems to be somewhat 
solitary, frequenting the banks of quiet rivers and woodland streams. 
NYCTICORAX. | 
Nycticoraz, Rafin. Analyse, p. 71 (1815); Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 145 (1898). 
Nyctiardea, Swainson, Classif. Birds, ii. p. 354 (1837); Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Geol. & Geogr 
Survey, iv. p. 224 (1878). 
The true Night-Herons, according to Dr. Sharpe, differ from the members of the 
genus Ardea and its several subgenera in having “ the bare portion of the tibio-tarsus 
of less extent than the length of the inner toe, the feathering sometimes extending to 
the heel.” The Agami Heron, which is somewhat an aberrant member of the genus 
Ardea, shares the above characters with Mycticorax, but its enormously long pointed 
bill allies it with Ardea, as the Night-Herons have a very moderately-sized bill, about 
equal in length to the tarsus, with no serrations in either mandible, the upper one 
having merely a notch before its tip. The present genus and the succeeding one 
(Nyctanassa), have much in common, but the tarsus is shorter in Nycticorax, and 
the ornamental plumes are long and narrow, white, and only two or three in 
number. 
Mr. Ridgway gives the following distinctive characters for the present genus as 
compared with those of Nyctanassa:—* Size medium. Adult with several extremely 
elongated, linear, compact-webbed, occipital plumes. No scapular plumes. Jugular 
feathers broad, blended. Culmen about equal to tarsus, the latter slightly longer than 
middle toe. Lateral outlines of bill concave; genys nearly straight. Adult and young 
exceedingly different in plumage.” 
Eight species of true Night-Herons are known, and the genus Wycticorax is found 
throughout the temperate and tropical portions of both hemispheres. 
/ 1. Nycticorax griseus. 
Ardea nycticorax, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 235°. 
Nycticorax nycticorax, Licht. Nomencl. Av. Mus. Berol. p. 90°; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. 
xxvi. p. 146°; Oates, Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus. ii. p. 123°. 
Ardea grisea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 239°. 
Nyctiardea grisea, Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 233°. 
Ardea nevia, Bodd. Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 56°. 
Nyctiardea grisea, var. nevia, Allen, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. iii. p. 182 °; Lawr. Bull. U. S. Nat. 
Mus. no. 4, p. 49°. 
