314 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



on the 1st of July 1839, above Gleeson's Station, while journey- 

 ing towards the Murray, and I subsequently procured others 

 at Illawarra : Captain Sturt mentions that he found it abun- 

 dant in the marshes of the interior, in the neighbourhood of 

 the river Macquarrie, and Gilbert procured it in Western Au- 

 stralia ; and according to Mr. G. R. Gray his Botaurus me- 

 lanotus of New Zealand is referable to this species. 



In its actions, habits, manners and mode of flight it 

 closely resembles the Botaurus stellaris of Europe ; like that 

 bird also it feeds on fish, frogs, newts, aquatic animals of all 

 kinds, and insects, and has a capacious and membranous 

 stomach. 



The sexes are alike in plumage, but the female is smaller 

 than the male. 



Head and back of the neck purplish brown : back and sca- 

 pularies dark purplish brown ; wings buff", conspicuously and 

 largely freckled with brown ; ear-coverts tawny ; throat and 

 all the under surface deep tawny bufl*, with irregular markings 

 of deep brown down the centre, giving the whole a mottled 

 appearance ; the brown colour however prevails on the lower 

 part of the throat ; bill yellowish olive in some, greenish 

 horn-colour in others ; space round the eyes and the legs 

 beautiful pale green ; irides in some yellow, lilac-red in 

 others. 



Genus BUTOROIDES, Blyth. 



The members of this genus of Mangrove Bitterns usually 

 frequent the extensive belts of mangroves and low dells covered 

 with reed-beds and dense herbage. 



Africa and America are each inhabited by birds of this form, 

 one species of which is also found in India and the adjacent 

 islands, and three in Australia. No marked differences are 

 observable between the sexes in birds of the same age. 



