270 



Nycticorax ncevius (Bodd.), Gray, Gen. of B. iii. p. 558 (1847). 



Scotaeus nycticorax (L.), Heugl. Syst. Uebers. Vog. N.O.-Afr. p. 59 (1856). 



Scotaeus guttatus, Heugl. ut supra (1856). 



Nyctiardea gardeni (Gm.), Baird, B. N. Am. p. 678 (1858). 



Nycticorax cegyptius, Gurney, in Anderss. B. of Damara L. p. 293 (1872). 



Nyctiardea nycticorax (L.), Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 413. 



Heron bihoreau, French ; Nitticora, Italian ; Quach, Maltese ; Nachtreiher, nachtlicher 

 Rohrdommel, German ; Kwak, Dutch ; Natheire, Danish ; Kwa/cwa, Russian. 



Figure notabiles. 



D'Aubenton, PL Enl. 758, 759, 939; Werner, Atlas, Coureurs, pi. 27; Kjserb. Orn. Dan. 

 taf. 32, Suppl. taf. 14; Frisch, Vog. Deutschl. taf. 203, 203; Fritsch, Vog. Eur. taf. 40. 

 figs. 6, 7 ; Naumann, Vog. Deutschl. taf. 225 ; Sundevall, Svensk, Fogl. pi. 75. figs. 4, 5 ; 

 Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 279; id. B. of G. Brit. iv. pi. 26; Schlegel, Vog. Nederl. pis. 193, 

 194; Roux, Orn. Prov. pis. 317, 318; Audub. B. of Am. pi. 363; Wilson, Am. Orn. 

 pi. 61. fig. 2. 



Ad. pileo, dorso et scapularibus nigris viridi metallico nitentibus, plumis nucb.se tribus valde elongatis et 

 angustatis, niveis : fronte et stria superciliari albis : tergo, alis et cauda cervino-cinereis : gula, alba : 

 corpore subtus albo vix cinereo-cervino tincto : rostro nigro, ad basin flavido : pedibus viridi-flavis : 

 iride rubra. 



Juv. pileo et nucha sordide fuscis rufescente cervino et albido striatis : corpore supra saturate umbrino-fusco, 

 dorso sneo nitente et ubique albo guttato : remigibus secundariis et tectricibus alarum versus apicem 

 conspicue albo notatis : mento albo, gutture et corpore subtus sordide albidis fusco-striatis, gutture et 

 pectore ocbraceo lavatis. 



Adult Male (Malta). Forehead and a line over tbe eye wbite, crown and nape black with a greyish tinge, 

 and glossed witb blue and bottle-green ; featbers on tbe nape elongated, and tbree or more very long, 

 narrow, wbite feathers extend from tbe nape ; back and scapulars black glossed witb bottle-green or 

 bluish purple ; rest of the upper parts, the wings, and the tail ashy dove-grey or dull dove-blue with a 

 buffy tinge ; edge of the wing nearly white ; chin, throat, and sides of the head white, the latter washed 

 with vinous buff; rest of the underparts white slightly tinged with ashy grey, the flanks washed with 

 buffy dove-grey ; bill blackish ; lore bluish grey with a yellow tinge ; legs dull ochreous yellow ; iris 

 deep red. Total length about 21 inches, gape B'7, wing 11/4, tail 4-7, tarsus 3 - 05. 



Young (Foochow, November) . Crown and nape dull brown striped with rufous buff and white ; upper parts 

 generally dark warm earth-brown, the back with a bronze tinge, and conspicuously spotted with white, 

 these spots being largest on the tips of the wing-coverts and secondaries ; tail brownish ash-grey ; under- 

 parts dull white, on the throat and breast washed with warm ochreous buff, and almost everywhere 

 closely striped with dark brown ; chin nearly pure white ; iris reddish yellow ; lores pale yellowish green, 

 becoming blue towards the bill; base of the lower mandible light yellowish green; legs dull yellowish 

 green ; claws pale brown. 



Obs. A rather older bird, which I have figured, is much less spotted on the upper parts, which are paler ; 



