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NIGHT-HERONS. 



FOLLOWING the true Bitterns, but of a stronger 

 form, we have a small group of birds known under 

 the Anglicised name of Night -Heron, or Night - 

 Raven ; the latter given evidently from the hoarse 

 call uttered by them, and from their feeding during 

 the night, and remaining inactive during the day. 

 They are generally distributed over the different 

 quarters of the world ; breed in companies, and on 

 trees, and have the plumage of some dark chaste 

 shade of grey, olive, or brown, above ; white below, 

 but tinted in parts with the same colour as that of 

 the upper parts; the head crested generally with 

 three long narrow feathers. 



NYCTICORAX. Generic characters. Bill strong, 

 rather short, bending from the base, tip notched, 

 cutting edges not serrated ; legs feathered to 

 the knees, inner toe shorter than the outer; 

 head generally crested. 



Types, N. Gardenii, Americanus. Cosmopolite. 



Note. Nocturnal, gregarious during incubation, 

 breed on trees. 



