676 U. 5S. P. RB. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS—ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT. 
BUTORIDES, Blyth. 
Butorides, ‘* Buyrn, 1849. Type Ardea javanica, Horsf.’’ 
Ocniscus, Capants, Journal fiir Orn. IV, 1856, 343. Type Ardea virescens, Lin. 
Cu.—Bill acute, rather longer than the head, gently curved from the base above ; gonys slightly ascending. Legs very short ; 
tarsi scarcely longer than the middle toe ; broadly scutellate anteriorly. Lateral toes nearly equal. Head with elongated feathers 
above and behind ; these are well defined, lanceolate, as are the interscapulars and scapulars ; the latter not exceeding the tertials. 
Neck short ; bare behind inferiorly. Tibia feathered nearly throughout. Tail of twelve feathers. 
This genus is not represented in Europe, although species occur in Asia, Africa, Australia 
5 Pp ? ) 2 p) 
and Oceanica. But one is found in the United States ; a second species belongs to South America, 
(B. scapularis,) distinguished most easily by the neck being ash-colored, instead of dark purplish 
chestnut, 
Comparative measurements of Nycticoraceae. 
“= palala # = = 
Catal. Species. Locality. Eh | e 3 Ea “> z ea\one = oe 2 & | Specimen 
No. x SE S a Z/s Z\Zzl/ES! = = |measured. 
a | a |@ 5 Eve | oles | ats iain il esa a |< 
9491 | Butoridea virescens.,.., Tulare valley, Cal.|...... 2.10 | 0.34 | 1.00 | 0.44 | 2.10 | 2.94 | Skin..... 
Salt creek, K. T.... 2.26 | 0.40 | 0.94 | 0.52 | 2.46 | 3.20 | Skin..... 
shiahyaiclasjeielalseleie|elee slr O.. cece ccever[evees sececc[vccecclovevce|eccccelcosvec|eceess| ETERS eee 
Carlisle, Pas... e+e. od 2.12 | 0.32 | 0.86 | 0.46 | 2.14 | 2.70 | Skin..... 
eascveseeerseccelcenves GO,. seccevccce roi 2.00 | 0.40 | 0.86 | 0.50 | 2.46 | 3.10 | Skin...:. 
Philadelphia, Pa.,.|.....+ 3.33 | 0.50 | 1.40 | 0.93 | 3.10 | 4.06 | Skin.. 
. Pesqueria, N. Leon| Q 3.26 | 0.54 | 1.30 | 0.88 | 2.88 | 3.76 | Skin..... 
Wefayelaleiesiciel sieiere sie] 'seisiels\> Or. esceccecce|erere ssaicis sil vesees| sess slsnvecsiesssee|esesse| ECS 
.| Petaluma, Cal...... 3 3.78 | 0.66 | 1.56 | 0.92 | 3.30 | 4.48 | Skin..... 
Liberty co., Ga..... 3 2.88 | 0.40 | 2.19 | 0.88 78 | 3.28 | Skin..... 
esecccce cscs tveelsouves Os. woccrccevsloccces Se| seecest| sclessisl|ecorscllsosee| owes sts| MMXCSI 
Fort Brown, TeXasS.|.eeees seeeeees 2.72 | 0.44 | 1.92 | 0.89 | 2.78 | 3.42 | Skin..... 
ae eee cers cseees coeees dO. .ceeesceceslocveee | cceceleee celeveser|eccees|sevcceleocece| Fresh 
BUTORIDES VIRESCENS, Bonap. 
Green Heron; Fly-up-the-creek. 
Ardea virescens, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 238.—Gm. I, 1788, 635.—Witson, Am. Orn. VII, 1813, 97; pl. Ixi.— 
Orp’s ed. p. 102.—Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 190.—Wacter, Syst. Av. 1827 ; Ardea, No. 36.—Aup. 
Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 274 ; pl. 333.—Is. Syn. 264.—Is. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 105 ; pl. 367. 
Ardea (Botauwrus) virescens, Bon. Specchio Comp. No. 180.—Is. Syn. 307.—Norr. II, 1834, 63. 
Herodias virescens, Bon. List, 1838.—Gossr, Birds Jam. 1847, 340. 
Egretta virescens, Swainson, 2} Centen. 1838. No. 156. 
Butorides virescens, Bonar. Conspectus Av. II, 1855, 128. 
Agamia virescens, ReicHensB. Icones Avium. 
Ocniscus virescens, Capanis, Journ. IV, 1856, 343. Cuba. 
“* Ardea chloroptera, Bopp.’’ 1784. Gray. 
Ardea ludoviciana, GMELIN, I, 1788, 630. 
“ Ardea torquata, Mixt. Illust. pl. lx.”? Gray. 
Green Heron, Pennant, II, 447. 
Sp. Cu.—Top of head and body above are glossy green; the coverts edged with brownish yellow. Neck dark purplish 
chestnut. Chin and central line of throat white. Body beneath plumbeous ash. Length, 15.00; wing, 7.50; tarsus, 2.00 ; 
bill above, 2.40. 
Hab.—United States generally. 
Bill stout ; culmen much compressed, gently convex towards the tip; gonys ascending. Tarsi 
shorter than the middle toe, covered behind and on the sides with small hexagonal scales. 
Lateral toes about equal. Lower fourth only of tibia bare. Head with a crest of long, lanceo- 
