258 ARDEID-S). 



Vlev, breeding) ; Gray, Hand-1. B. iii. p. 32, no. 10161 (1871, 

 pt./; Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 211 (Potchefstroom) ; Reichen. J. f. O. 

 1877, p. 248 ; Aijres, Ibis, 1880, p. 270 (Potchefstroom) ; Butler, 

 Feilden, 8) Eeid, Zool. 1882, p. 344 (Newcastle, breeding) ; Symonds, 

 Ibis, 1887, p. 334 (Orange Free State). 



Ardea steUaris capensis, Schley. Mus. Pays-Bas, Ardeaj, p. 48 

 (1863: Levakoo). 



Botaurus capensis, Ayres, Ibis, 1869, p. 300 (Potchefstroom). 



Adult male. Similar to B. stellaris, but smallei'and more coarsely 

 marked above, and distinguished by the less barred appearance of 

 the wings, the black cross bars being broken up into mottlings : 

 *' bill light greenish ash, dusky on the ridge ; bare skin round the 

 eye ashy fulvous ; tarsi and feet pale green ; soles of feet yellow ; 

 iris pale tawny brown, with an outer edging of dark reddish 

 brown " (T. Ayres). Total length 25 inches, culmen 2-7, wing 12-5, 

 tail 4-5, tarsus 3"2. 



Adult female. Similar to the male. Total length 20 inches, 

 culmen 2-3, wing 11, tail 3-9, tarsus 3-1. 



Hah. South Africa. 



«. Ad. sk. South Africa. Old Coll. 



b. Ad. sk. South Africa. Shelley CoU. 



c. Ad. sk. Cape Colony. Sir A.'Smith [C.]. 

 <?. 2 ad. sk. 'Natal (T. Ayres). Tweeddale Coll. 



e. c? ad. sk. Kroonstadt, Orange Free State, Gumey CoU. 



Dec. 8 {E. Symonds). 



f. Ad. sk. Transvaal. F. A. Barratt, Eeq. 



[P.]. 



g. h. c? ad. ; Potchefstroom, May, Aug., Oct. Gurney Coll. 

 i. $ ad. sk. (7". Ayres). 



3. Botaurus pceciloptilus. 



Ardea pceciloptila, Wagler, Syst. Av., Ardea, sp. 28, note (1827) 

 Finsck, J.f. O. 1870, p. 348. 



Botaurus melanotus. Gray, iti Dieffenb. Trav., App. p. 196 (1843) ; 

 id. List GralkB Brit. Mus. p. 81 (1844). 



Botaurus poiciloptilus. Gray, Gen. B. iii. p. 557 (1847) ; id. Ibis, 

 1862, p. 236; Gould, Handb. B. Austr. ii. p. 313 (1865). 



Botaurus australis, Gould, B. Austr. vi. pi. 64 (1848). 



Botaurus posciloptilus, Bp. Consp. ii. p. 135 (1855) ; id. C. R. xl. 

 p. 723 (1855); BuUer, B. New Zealand, p. 238 (1873); Finsch, 

 Ibis, 1882, p. 399 (New Zealand) ; Layard, t. c. pp. 531, 544 

 (Ansevata) ; Bnller, B. New Zeal. (2nd ed.) ii. p. 142, pi. xxxvii. 

 (1888) ; Heine 8,- Reichen. Nomencl. Mus. Hein. p. 309 (1890 : 

 S.W. Australia) ; H O. Forbes, Ibis, 1893, p. 533 (Chatham Isl.). 



Ardea poiceloptera, Hutton, Cat. B. N. Zeal. p. 28 (1871). 



Botaurus pojcilopterus, Walker, Ibis, 1892, p. 260 (Adele Isl., N.W. 

 Australia). 



Adidt. Of about the same size and general character as B. stellaris, 

 but easily distinguished from that species by its more sombre 

 coloration, nearly uniform black mantle and scapulars, and by the 

 smoky-brown ruff ou the sides of the neck, which is uniform like 

 the head, and is united to a brown band which runs from below 

 the eye and joins the ruff on its upper parts ; sides of face and ear- 



