170 BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



Genus NYCTICORAX Forst. 



Nycticorax Forster, Syn. Cat. Brit. Birds, p. 59, 1817. Type N. nycti- 

 corax (Linn.). 



This genus is distinguished hv the long and narrow nape plumes 

 and the absence of dorsal ornamental feathers. The culnien is 

 about equal to the tarsus in length, which is about equal to the 

 middle toe and claw. 



106. Nycticorax nsevius. 

 Black-crowned Night Heron. 



Nycticorax ncevius (Bodd.), TaLl. PI. Enl. p. 56, 1783 (Cayenne); 



Salvin, Ibis, 188G, p. 170; Braboume & Chubb, B. S. Amer. i, 



p. 50, no. 469, 1912. 

 Nycticorax garcleni Cab. in Schomb. Reis. Guian. iii. p. 755, 1818. 

 Nycticorax nycticorax Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxvi. pp. 146, 275, 



part, 1898. 



Adult male. Crown and nape, upper back and scapulars black, 

 more or less glosse<l with green ; lower back, wings, and tail 

 ash-grey ; base of forehead, eyebrow, sides of face, and throat 

 white ; elongated nape plumes, neck all round, and entii'e under 

 surface, including the axillaries and under wing-coverts, creamy- 

 white. 



Total length 640 mm,, culmen 70, wnng 288, tail 114^ tarsus 81, 

 middle toe and claw 79. 



The description of the male is taken from an example obtained 

 on the Berbice River. 



Adult female. Similar to the adult male. 



The young differs from the adult in being brown on the back, 

 the absence of the long nape plumes, the forehead, face, and neck 

 streaked with pale brown and white. 



A young male from the Abary River, obtained in January 1592, 

 is cinnamon rufous streaked, or spotted, with white. 



Breeding-season. Unknovvn in British Guiana. 



Nest. "It builds its nest in low trees or bu-hes " (^ScJiotnhio-gk). 



Eggs. " It lays two greenish eggs " (Schomburgk). 



Kange in British Guiana. Upper Takutu Mountains, Mazaruni 

 River, Abary River, Berbice River [McConnell collection). 



