always distingiiished by the] feathered patch on the base of the mandible, Aviiioli we have 

 already spoken of. 



Tlie earliest roforonoc 'we have been able to find to this species/ is that given by Dr. George 

 Such/ in the fifth number of the Zoological Journal, published in April, 1825. Dr. Such's 

 description is not very complete, but we have little doubt that it was intended for this bird, 

 and there can be no question that this is the species to which Wagler has applied Dr. Such's 

 name. In his " contributions to the Natural History of Brazil" Prince Mfix. appears to have 

 described the present opooioo as Ardea lineata — a name established by Gmelin upon Buffon's 

 Planche Enluminee /No. 8G0,jf and which is therefore merely a synonym of Tigrisoma hrasiliense. 

 Prof. Schlegel has pi'oposed to follow this nomenclature, which, however, we cannot agree to, 

 more especially as Dr. Such's appellation has a priority of some years. 



In its mode of life. Prince Max. tells us.this Tiger-bittern much resembles the European 

 Botaunis sfeUan's, but is not. quite so shy ; being not unfrequently observed in marshy districts 

 within a few hundred feet of human. habitations. 



For the loan of the beautiful specimens of this species/ from which our i. figures have been 

 taken/ we are again indebted to the liberality of Mr. Alexander Fry. As was the case with 

 Botaurus pinnafusJhh examples of this b ird were likewise obtained in the vicinity of the ^y / biftiriri, 



Brazilian capital. ^ j . 



We should mention that our front figurdb-epresents an individual not^jmjUJIr^ftdultyi.aii.^^ ^ <f-^ .^^ / 

 •^dicn quite maturoj the transverse markings on the head and neck are less apparent, and the L- -.-zrr- 



tail-bands probably wholly disappear. There is a single pcrfootly adult mounted specimen of ^ ^^^ — ^z**-** 

 this bird in the Gallery of the British Museum, but it bears no locality attached to it. / ia^c-yf~une. . JK 



The three American species of Tiger-bitterns may be shortly distinguished as follows : — r/^^^t-^^ un^ 

 A. Species gula media plumosa, lateraliter nuda. 





'^l'- 



TiGEISOMA BKASILIENSE. 



Ardea Irasiliensis, Linn. S. N. p. 239 : Burm. Syst. Ueb. iii. p. 410. - Tigrisoma hrasiliense, Cab. in Scliomb. 



Guian. iii. p. 75-1 : Scl. P.Z.S. 1857, p. 2C>., et 1860, p. 72 : Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. vii. p. 301 : Scl. 



& Salv. P.Z.S. 1867, p. 979 : Leotaud Ois de Trin. p 426. Ardea lineata, Gen. S. N. p. 038 (ex Buft". 



PI. Enl. 860). Ardea soco, Wagl. Syst. Av. Ardea, sp. 30. Ardea figrina, GM. S. N. i. p. 637 (ex ?»t-/ 



Buff. PI. Enl. 790) : Wagl. Syst. Av. Ardea ^(p. 30a: Tsch. %^. Aves, p. 50 : Burm. Syst. Ueb. iii. / 5^P/ 



p. 409. Tigrisoma tigrinum. Cab. in Schomb. Guian. iii. p. 753 ; Scl. P.Z.S. 1857, p. 268, 1858 p. 461, ' 



et 1860, p. 290. 

 Diagn. Mandibula ad basin nuda : pileo colloque supero castaneis. 

 Hab. Cayenne {Si{ffhn) ; Gmana. (Schomburgk) : Upper Amazon (i^aajriweZZ) : E. Peru (Tse/i »</!') : "Western 



Ecuador (Fraser) : Trinidad (Leotaud) : Panama (McLeannan). 



2. TiGBISOMA FASCIAirM, tab. XCII. 



Diagn. Mandibula ad basin partim plumosa : pileo colloque supero seneo-nigricantibus. 

 Hah. South Eastern Brazil {Such, Max., Frg). 



B. Species gula omnino nuda. 



3. Tigrisoma cabanisi, tab. xlviii. p. 95. 



I£ab. Central America, from Southern Mexico to Yeragua.* 



* Arc^ has recently transmitted -a skin of this species from Yeragua, thus defining its probable southern limit. 



Mat, 1869. 



1 



[4«4] 



