Prof. Reinhardt's Remarks on the Genus Balseniceps. 159 



some ten years ago he gave the first account of it^ would have 

 it considered as the representative of the Waders among the 

 Pelicans^ it has subsequently been looked upon by Des Murs, on 

 account of the characteristics of its eggs^ as most nearly related 

 to the Flamingo, and placed between that bird and the Spoonbill, 

 while, according to Jules Verreaux's opinion, it stands closest to 

 the large-billed Stork-like Leptoptihis. By Heuglin, also, it is 

 referred to the Stork family, and therein finds its place between 

 Anastomus and Dromas. The opinion which seems to be most 

 generally received now is, that Balceiiiceps should be put along- 

 side of Cancroma, and looked upon as a gigantic African repre- 

 sentative of this American generic form. 



It appeared to the author that this was not the right way of 

 considering the genus Balceniceps. According to his opinion, 

 another peculiar and equally African bird, which hitherto 

 no one, so far as he knew, had thought of bringing into com- 

 parison with it — Scopus umbretta — was in reality its nearest of 

 kin, and inasmuch as the genus Scopus is evidently more nearly 

 allied to the Storks than to the Herons (from which, again, 

 Canci-oma cannot be separated), those ornithologists who have 

 assigned a place among the former to Balaniceps must be con- 

 sidered as having approached the truth more nearly than those 

 who have placed it alongside of Cancroma. 



What has mainly led to the belief in a near relationship be- 

 tween Balceniceps and Cancroma is a certain resemblance in their 

 bills. A closer investigation, however, would show that there 

 exists no real affinity between them in this respect. In all the 

 rest of its structure Cancroma is a Night-Heron {Nycticorax), 

 distinguished by a particular shape of bill ; but, in accordance 

 herewith, its bill, notwithstanding its aberrant form, shows 

 many characteristics of the Heron^s bill. In the particular 

 structure of the bill of Balceniceps we perceive, on the contrary, 

 another type ; and even the likeness it outwardly bears to the 

 contour of that of Cancroma is, on nearer inspection, by no means 

 so great as would appear at first sight. The bill of Canci-oma is 

 remarkably flattened, and not so much calculated for great 

 strength as for great roominess ; and this is still more increased 

 by the naked dilatable skin between the branches of the lower 



