396 ai BIRDS. 
Ard. stellaris, Eni. 789; Frisch, 205; Naum. Ed. I, 27, f. 36. 
(The European Bittern.) A golden fawn-colour, spotted and dotted 
with black; bill and feet greenish; is found among the reeds, whence 
it sends forth that terrific voice which has entitled it to the name of 
Bos-taurus. Its attitude, when at rest, is singular; the bill being 
raised towards the heavens*. 
The adult Nicut-Heron, with the port of the Bitterns and a biil 
proportionably thicker, has a few slender feathers on the occiput. 
There is but one species found in France, 
Ard. nycticorax, L.; Bihoreau d’ Europe}, Enl. 758; Frisch, 
203; Naum, Ed. I, 26, f. 35. (The Night-Heron). The male is 
white; back and calotte black; the young bird, Enl. 759, grey, with 
a brown mantle and a blackish calotte f. 
We must observe, however, that these various subdivisions of the 
Herons are of but little importance, and are by no means well marked. 
The third tribe, besides having a thicker and smoother bill than is 
found in the second, has tolerably strong and almost equal membranes 
between the base of its toes. 
Ciconia, Cuv. 
The Storks have a thick bill, moderately cleft; neither fosse nor 
grooves; the nostrils pierced towards the back and near the base; and 
the bottom of which is occupied by an extremely short tongue. Their 
legs are reticulated, and the anterior toes strongly palmated at base, par- 
ticularly the external ones. ‘The light and broad mandibles of their bill, 
by striking against each other, produce a clash which is almost the only 
sound that proceeds from these birds. Their gizzard is but slightly mus- 
cular, and their ceca so small that they are scarcely perceptible. Their 
lower larynx has no proper muscle; their bronchiz are longer than com- 
mon, and composed of rings more complete than usual. There are two 
species in France, 
Ardea ciconia, L., Enl. 866; Frisch, 196; Naum, Ed. E29. f. 
31. (The White Stork.) White; quills of the wings black; feet 
and bili red. A large bird, held in great veneration by the people, 
a distinction arising from the fact that it destroys snakes and other 
* Add, A. minor, Wils. VIII, Ixv, 8, or A. stellaris, B.Gm.; Edw., 136;—d. 
undulata, Gm. Enl. 768;—A. philippensis, Gm. Enl. 908 (a). 
+ According to Meyer, the results of whose labours we still follow, the Ard. 
grisea, A. maculata, and the 4. badia of Gmel. are different states of the 4. nycti- 
corax. 
+ Add, A. pileata, Lath. or 4. alba, B.; Gm., Enl. 907;—A. caledonica, Lath.;— 
A. cayennensis, Enl. 899, or violacea, Wils. VIII, Ixv, 1, of which 2. Vamaboensts 
Gm. is the young;—A. sibilatriz, T. Col. 271.—The Pouacre, Buff. (Ard. Garileni, 
Gm.) Enl. 309, appears to be the young of an ash-coloured Night Heron, with a 
bronze-black calotte and black. It is tle same as the 4. maculata, Frisch, 202. 
(a) Ras Add, also, A. violacca, Wils. VITT, pl. Ixv, f. 1;—4. cerulea, Wils. VIT 
pl. dai, f. 3;—A. virescens, Wils. VII, lxi, £ 1; 4. ewilis, Wils. VIII, pl. Ixv,°f. 4. 
—Ene. Ep. '¥ 
