48 ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 



Genus BUTORIDES, Blyth. 



Butorklcs, "Blytii, 1849," Boxap. Coiisii. II. 1855, 128 (type, Ardca javanica, HoUSF. ). 

 Oniscus, Cabax. J. f. 0. IV. 1856, 343 (type, Ardea vircsccns, Linn.). 



Gen. Char. Small Herons, of darkish, more or less variegated, colors, the pileum and occiput 

 crested. BilP rather stout, decidedly longer than the tarsus. Mental apex reaching to a little 

 le.ss than half way (in B. brunnescens exactly half way) irom the middle of the eye to the point of 

 the bill, and to decidedly heyond the anterior end of the nostril ; malar apex about even with the 

 frontal, and decidedly posterior to the hinder end of the nostril (in 11. brunnescens this point falls 

 considerably short of the frontal one). Middle toe very nearly or quite equal to the tarsus (equal 

 to it in B. javanicus, a little .shorter in the American forms, the dift'erence being most marked in 

 B. virescens) ; outer toe scarcely or not at all longer than the inner (except in B. brunnescens) ; 





B. virescens. 



hallux about half the length of tlie middle toe ; bare portion of tibia equal to or shorter than the 

 hallux. 



Pileum with a full crest of broadly lanceolate, com pact- webbed feathers, these longer and more 

 narrowly lanceolate on the occiput. Scapulars and interscapulars elongated and lanceolate in the 

 adult, but not reaching the end of the tail (very ]nuch as in Ardeci). 



It will be observed, from the terms of the above diagnosis, that the species of this genus vary 

 somewhat in the minor details of external form ; the dift'erences are so slight, however, that they 

 are evidently of nut more than specific importance. As stated aliove, B. javanica differs from the 

 American species in the contour of the bill, the culmeu being slightly depressed about the middle 

 portion, as in Dichromanassa rufa. It should also be noted, however, that the several American 



1 There is a decided difference in the fonn of the bill between the type of this genus, Ardca javanica, 

 HoRSFiELD, and the four American species, it being in tlie former almost exactly as in Dichromanassa 

 rufa, in all its outlines and proportions, although it is, of course, very mucli smaller. All the otlier char- 

 acters, however, even the system of coloration, corres]iond so entirely with those of the American forms 

 that tlie latter may l)e all considered typical. The f;cneric cliaracters are therefore modified, as to the bill, 

 so as to iiielaJe all. B. patrucJis, Pealk, fiom Tahiti, is ijuite hiiuilar in form to B. javanica. 



