480 CLASS AVES. 



of rivers, and has been placed by Gmelin with the herons, 

 and with the snipes by Latham. BufFon, who finds in its 

 feet and bill some resemblance with the rail, from which it 

 differs by having a longer tail, invented the term caurahy to 

 give an idea of its characters. M. Illiger has made a dis- 

 tinct genus of it, between the heron and the umbre, on which 

 he has imposed the name Eurypyga, which indicates the 

 breadth of its tail, but which is inconvenient from founding 

 a generic distinction on a character purely specific. M. Vieil- 

 lot, who has also formed a genus of the same bird, has applied 

 to it the denomination of Hellas^ already employed by 

 Gmelin and- Latham to designate the known species. M. 

 Temminck also makes it a separate genus ; and finally, our 

 author, as we have seen, places it along side of the Courliri, 

 between the cranes and savacous. 



Hitherto but a single species of the caurale is known, 

 Ardea Helias of Linnaeus and Gmelin, Scolopax Helias of 

 Latham. It is figured in the " Planches Enluminees" of 

 Buffon. This bird is not larger than a partridge, and is 

 named by the Creoles of Cayenne, Little Peacock of the 

 Roses. It is unnecessary to enter into its description, and 

 its habits are similar to those of the snipes. 



The Savacous (Canceoma) are called in English, Boat 

 Bills, from the peculiar form and breadth of the bill. They 

 have considerable analogy with the herons. The mandibles 

 of the bill, applied one against the other by the concave side, 

 are very broad, strong, and trenchant. The upper one, on 

 which two deep grooves are observable, which proceed from 

 the nostrils, is terminated by a hooked point, while the lower 

 is sharp. The nostrils are oblong, longitudinal, and covered 

 with a membrane, and there is a membranous pouch under 

 the throat. The three anterior toes, very long, are united at 

 their base by a short membrane, and the posterior touches 

 the ground by its whole extent. The claws are narrow and 



