222 IIERODIOXES. 



Botaurus and resemble Ardea in having twelve tail-feathers, and in 

 having the inner toe shorter than the outer. 



The genus Nydicorav may be divided into several subgenera — 

 Night-Herons (typieal Nydicorax), ]\Iangrovc-Hcrons {Bi/torides), 

 and Scjuacco Herons [Ardeola) : the two former with grey (instead 

 of Avhite) quills ; and the two latter with straight and somewhat 

 slender (instead of dceurvcd and stout) bills. 



207. NYCTICORAX NYCTICORAX. 

 (NIGHT-HERON.) 

 Ardea 7iycticorax, Linneus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 235 (1766). 



The Night-Heron is a medium-sized species (wing from carpal 

 joint 10^ to 11 inches). It has grey quills, a stout decurved bill, 

 and uniform pale grey axillaries. 



Figures : Dresser, Birds of Europe, vi. pi. 402. 



The Night-Heron is a common summer visitor to Southern Japan, 

 but is not known to have occurred in Yezzo. In the Pryer collec- 

 tion there is a large series of both adult and immature examples from 

 Yokohama. The examples procured by the Siebold Expedition were 

 doubtless obtained near Nagasaki (Temminek and Schlegel, Fauna 

 Japonica, Aves, p. 116) ; and there is one in the Norwich Museum 

 sent by Mr. Ringer from the same locality. It was included by Prycr 

 in the list of birds obtained by Namiye on the central group of the 

 Loo-Choo Islands (Seebohm, Ibis, 1887, p. 181), and the specimen 

 Avas identified l)y Dr. Stcjueger (Proc. United States Nat. Mus. 

 1887, p. 296). 



The breeding-range of the Night-Heron does not reach the British 

 Islands (where this species is only known as a rare visitor), but it 

 extends across Southern Europe to Persia, India, Burma, China, and 

 Japan. It also breeds on the American continent. 



208. NYCTICORAX CRASSIROSTRIS. 

 (BONIN NIGHT-HERON.) 



Nydicorax crassirostris, Vigors, Zool. Captain Beecbey's Voyage, p. 27 (1839). 



Tlic Bonin Night-Heron has a white superciliary stripe and white 



