296 Bulletin of the British 



This is simply a very large race of B.javanica, which has 

 been identified by some authors with the Australian B. stag- 

 natilis. 



SubsjD. /3. BUTORIDES SPODIOGASTER, Subsp. nOV, 



Similis B.javanica, sod omnino saturatior, fuliginoso-schis- 

 tacea,, abdomine sordide cerviuo. Long. tot. 17"5 poll., 

 alse 6-7. 

 Hab. Andaman Islands and NIcobars. 

 This race is of a so much darker leaden-grey colour than 

 B.javanica, especially on the neck and sides of the body, 

 that the two birds are easily recognized on comparison. The 

 Australian race, B. staf/natilis, is still darker than B. spodio- 

 gaster, and has a much darker rust-colour on the abdomen. 



Subsp. 7. BUTORIDES STAGNATILIS. 



Hab. Northern and Eastern Australia to New Guinea and 

 throughout the Moluccas to Timor and Flores, and east- 

 wards to the Solomon group. New Caledonia, the Fiji, 

 Society, and Friendly Islands. 



There seems to be but one species of Butorides in Australia, 

 B. macrorhyncha of Gould being founded on the winter 

 plumage of B. stagnatilis. 



4. Butorides plumbea (Sundev.). 

 Hab. Galapagos Islands. 



5. Butorides virescens (L.). 



Hab. North America generally, ranging throughout Central 

 America to Panama and Venezuela, as well as the Greater 

 and Lesser Antilles. 



After the examination of a large series of Green Bitterns 

 from America, Dr. Sharpe stated his inability to recognize 

 more than one species, viz. B. virescens, several of the forms 

 and subspecies recently described having been apparently 

 founded on differences of plumage to be accounted for by age 

 and season. 



A communication was read from Mr. G. E. H. Barrett- 

 Hamilton respecting two examples of the American Red- 



