222 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY. 



oniDe in external structure, it is also truly AltriciaT, although the young 

 are born covered with a close, variegated down, much as in the Grallce 

 proper; the Qgg^ also, is quite Plover-like in appearance {conf. Bart- 

 ■ LETT, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1866, 76, pi. ix.). As still further indicat- 

 ing its affiuity to the Herons, Uurypyga possesses a pair of large uropy- 

 giai powder-down tracts; while Xitzsch states (Pterylographia, p. 129, pi. 

 viii. f. 15) that, as to its pterylography in general, " the uninterrupted 

 plumage, not only of the head, but also of the entire neck", "is indis- 

 putably the chief distinction of this genus from Ardea^\ 



The fact that the young are born covered with down does not affect 

 the case seriously, if at all, it being well known that many true Altrices 

 (as FaleonidcB, Strigidce, Gathartidce, Proeellariidw, LaridcB, etc.) make 

 their first appearance to the light in the same condition ; nor does the 

 circumstance that the eggs are Plover-like, since those of some Altrices 

 (especially the Gulls) are eminently so.* 



The remaining forms which have usually been resferred to this Order, 

 or which appear to be closely allied to its merubers, are the genera Sco- 

 pus, Briss., Bronias, Payk., Anastomus, Bonn., Hiator, Eeich., and Ba- 

 Iceniceps, Gould, all of which are confined to the Eastern Hemisphere, 

 the two Ibrmer and the last belonging to Africa, the other to India. I 

 have seen none of these forms, and with the exception of Balceniceps, 

 the literature regarding their anatomical and osteological structure Is 

 so meagre that I have been urjable to glean any facts of service in this 

 connection; I will therefore pass them by, with the remark that, with 

 the exception of Dromas, which seems to be a Plover like form, they 

 seem to be of Cicouine affinity, and probably are true Herodiones. 



As to Balceniceps, there has been much diversity of opinion, even 

 among those who have examined critically both its internal and its 

 external structure. Authors generally agree, however, that it is either 

 more nearly related to the Storks, the Herons, or the Pelicans. It is 

 stated, by the collector of the living specimens which were sent to 

 the London Zoological Society {<•/. Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 1860, 105), 



'Assuming, then, that the true position of this aberrant family is with or very near 

 the Herodiones, its characters may be defined as follows: — 



Bittern-like birds, with the tail very long and broad (nearl-y equal to the ample wing 

 in length) ; straight, rather obtuse bill: slender, close-feathered neck; Heron-like legs 

 and feet (except that the hallux is slightly elevated and the middle claw destitute of 

 lateral pectinations) ; the plumage soft, and ornamented bj' beautiful picturm on the 

 remiges and rectrices. Eectrices twelve ; powder-down tracts uropygial, consisting of 

 only one pair. 



Bill with the upper and lower outlines somewhat depressed, but parallel, for the 

 basal two-thirds, the terminal portion gently convex ; nasal fossiB broad and deep, and 

 extending as far forward as the straight portion of the bill. Lores densely feathered ; 

 plumage of the neck short and rather downy ; no ornamental plumes. Middle toe con- 

 siderably shorter than the tarsus, its claw without lateral pectinations; lateral toes 

 considerably shorter, the outer decidedly the longer ; hallux slender, about equal in 

 length to the basal phalanx of the inner toe, its base elevated slightly above the basal 

 articulation of the anterior toes ; bare portion of the tibia about equal in length to 

 the outer toe. 



