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[Fam. AEDEID^. 



NYCTICOEAX CALEDONICUS. 



(NANKEEN NIGHT-HEEON.) 



Caledonian NigM-IIeron, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 1, p. 55 (1785). 

 Ardea caledonica^ Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 626 (1788). 

 Ardea novm hoUandiw, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xiv. p. 436 (1817). 

 Nycticorax caledonicm, Steph. Gen. Zool. xi. p. 613 (1819). 

 New-Holland Night-Heron, Lath. Gen. Hist. ix. p. 62 (1824). 

 Ardea sparrmannii, Wagl. Syst. A v. Ardea, sp. 32 (1827). 

 Nyctiardea caledonica, Gray, Hand-L of B. iii. p. 33 (1871). 



Ad, supra dilute cinnamomcus^ dorso postico ct uropygio pauUo pallidioribus : pileo cristate et nucha nigris 



plumis tribus occipitalibus pendentibus albis : striga supercihari^ regione oculari et genis anticis albis 

 facie rehqua et colic laterali delicate cinnamoineis : alis et caud^ cinnamomeis omnino dorso concoloribus 

 subtus albus^ gutture antico et laterali delicate cinnamomeis : regione oculari virescenti-flava: rostro 

 nigro, versiis apicem corneo, gonyde cornea aut flavicante : pedibus sordide flavis : iride aurantiacA. 



Adult. Crown of the head and the nape glossy black ; three occipital plumes, consisting of extremely fine 

 feathers, rolled in the form of a pointed queue, six inches long, pure white, with a narrow shaft-line of 

 brown; sides and hind part of the neck, and the entire upper surface rich cinnamon-brown, this colour 

 being deepest on the shoulders, quills, and tail-feathers; throat, streak over the eyes, sides efface, 

 fore neck, and all the under surface pure white ; on the sides of the neck and on the lower part of the 

 body the cinnamon and white are gradually blended. Irides orange ; the bare space suiTOunding them 

 greenish yellow ; bill black, horn-coloured or yellowish at the tip and along the lower edge of the under 

 mandible; tarsi and toes dull yellow; claws dark brown. Total length 21 inches; wing, from 

 flexure, 11; tail 4; bill, along the ridge 275, along the edge of lower mandible 3-5; bare tibia 1 ; 

 tarsus 3 ; middle toe and claw 3'25 ; hind toe and claw 2'25. 



Young. Mr. Gould states that the young bird of the first year has the whole of the upper surface striated 

 with buflf and blackish brown, narrow and lanceolate on the head and neck, broad and conspicuous on 

 the back and wings ; primaries and tail-feathers dark chestnut-red, deepening into black near the 

 extremity, and tipped with bufly white; all the under surface buffy white, with a stripe of brown down 

 the centre of each feather ; irides yellow. 



This species can only be included in our list as an occasional straggler from Australia, where 

 it is said to be universally dispersed, although less abundant on the western coast than elsewhere. 

 A specimen, now in my collection in the Colonial Museum, was shot 



in the Welling 



Province sixteen years ago ; and several instances have since been reported of its occurrence 



in the South Island. 



