NIGHT-HERON. GRALLATORES. NYCTICORAX. 39 



is furnished with a few narrow subulated feathers ; canalicu- 

 lated, and fitted one within the other ; and varying in num- 

 ber from two to six, according to the species. Neck short, 

 covered with lax feathers; lower part of the neck behind 

 clothed only with down. 



This group of the Ardeadte, which differs from the Bit- 

 terns in the proportions of the bill, and legs, in having the 

 neck covered with shorter feathers, and the hinder part of 

 the head furnished with long canaliculated plumes, has latter- 

 ly been separated from them, and has also been removed 

 from the genus Ardea, under the generic name of Nyctico- 

 rax. Like the Bitterns, these birds are nocturnal feeders ; 

 but, in other respects, their economy is different, and ap- 

 proaches nearer to the Herons. Their plumage is not rayed, 

 or varied like that of the typical Bitterns; but in large 

 masses of distinct and opposed colours. The young are very 

 different in appearance from the old birds, and do not attain 

 the plumage indicative of maturity till after the third moult- 

 ing. 



COMMON NIGHT-HERON. 



NYCTICORAX EUROPMUS, Steph. 



PLATE VII. AND PLATE VII. 



Nycticorax Europaeus, Steph. Shaw's Zool. 11. 609. pL 47. 



Ardea Nycticorax, Linn. 1. 235. 9 Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 678. 13 Briss. 5. 



493. 45. t. 39 Rail, Syn. 99. 3 Wils. Amer. Orn. 7- 101. 61. 2 



Wagler, Syst. Av. 1. sp. 31. 

 Le Bihoreau, Buff. 7. 455. t. 22. 



Synonvm 

 of Adult. 



Bihoreau, au Manteau Noir, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. 2. 577. 

 Der Nacht-Reiher, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. 54. 



Ardea Garden!, Gmel. Syst. 1. 645 Lath. Ind. 2. 685. sp. 32. } Synonym 



Butor tachete' ou Pouacre, Buff. 7. 427. I O f the 

 Spotted and Gardenian Heron, Lath. Syn. 5. 70. and 71. sp. 31 and 32. f Young of 



Ardea Jamaicensis, Gmel. Syst. 1. 625. Lath. Ind. 2. 679. 14. { t h e V g ar 

 Jamaica Night-Heron, Lath. Syn. 5. 54. 14. 



