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XXII. On the Osteology of Balmt^iceps R^x (Gould). % W. Kitchen Parker, 



Mem. Micr. Soc. 



Read June 26, 1860. 

 [Plates LXIV., LXV., LXVI., & LXVII.] 



Introduction. 



JNO lover of nature can read Mr. Petherick's vivid and delightful description' of the 

 native home and playground of those royal children of the Tropics, the Hippopotamus, 

 the Crocodile, and the Balaeniceps, without longing to see with his own eyes all this 

 overflowing life. 



' The miry places and the marishes' of these wild regions are appropriately tenanted 

 by these portentous-looking representatives of the three great air-breathing Classes, 

 the Mammals, Birds, and Reptiles. 



Nor do such creatures harmonize less with each other than with their savage home ; 

 for one cannot even think of the great River-horse without the idea of his scaly neigh- 

 bour at once suggesting itself; and the Balaeniceps has certainly in its strange counte- 

 nance an artistic, if not a family likeness to the Crocodile. 



Like many of its large congeners, the Balaeniceps is not merely a fish-eating bird, — 

 carrion, especially intestines, being equally acceptable with fish. This is also the case 

 with certain piscivorous birds belonging to other natural groups, e. g. the Sea-Eagles 

 and Gulls ; whilst the Pehcans, Cormorants, and Gannets feed more cleanlily, and abide 

 by a purely fish-diet. 



It is to the stilted, wading group of scavengers that the Balaeniceps belongs, being 

 one of the Ardece affines, and therefore intimately related to the White Stork, the 

 Marabout, and the Adjutant. Its nearest relations, however, are the South American 

 Boat-bill {Cancroma cochlearia) and the Little South African Umbre {Scopus umbretta). 



The latter bird, before the discovery of its gigantic relation, seemed to be unique 

 amongst the near relations of the Common Heron {Ardea cinerea), in having a strong 

 hook to the upper beak ; the Balteniceps, however, has this character in the highest 

 degree, and it is not absent from the flat upper jaw of the Boat-bill. It is difiicult for 

 the systematist to choose his type-form amongst the Ardeine genera, including Ciconia, 

 Leptoptilus, Mycteria, Anastomus, Aramus, Ardea, Botaurus, Herodias, Nycticorax, 

 Scopus, Cancroma, and Balaniceps ; but as the Heron is best known, and has the cha- 

 racters of the family moderately, but markedly developed, it is the most available. 



Ardea is, moreover, one of the original genera of Linnaeus ; and the names and terms 



' Proc. Zool. Soc. 1S60. p. 195. 

 VOL. IV. PART VII. 2 Q 



