281 



BOTAUEUS STELLAEIS. 



(BITTERN.) 



Ardea botaurus, Brisson, Orn. v. p. 444 (1760). 

 Ardea stellaris, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 239 (1766). 

 Le Butor, Buffon, Hist. Nat. Ois. vii. p. 411, pi. xxi. (1780). 

 Botaurus stellaris (L.), Steph. in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xi. p. 593 (1819). 

 Nycticorax stellaris (L.), Ehr. Symb. Phys. Av. fol. m (1828). 

 Botaurus lacustris, C. L. Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 596 (1831). 

 Botaurus arundinaceus, C. L. Brehm, torn. cit. p. 596 (1831). 

 Butor stellaris (L.), Swainson, Classif. of Birds, ii. p. 354 (1837). 

 Ardea stellaris capensis, Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Ardeas, p. 48 (1863). 



Le Grand Butor, French ; Gallinhola real, Portuguese ; Avetoro, Cangrejera, Spanish ; 

 Garza stellare, Tarabuso, Italian ; Coppun imperial, Maltese ; Bohrdommel, Rohrdumj), 

 German ; Roerdomp, Dutch ; Stor Rordrum, Danish ; Rordrum, Swedish ; Chepura- 

 Wuipp, Russian; Kul-buga (Water-bull), Bashkir. 



Figurce notabiles. 



D'Aubenton, PL Enl. 789; Werner, Atlas, Gralles, pi. 1; Kjaerb. Orn. Dan. taf. xxxii. ; 

 Frisch, Vog. Deutschl. taf. 205 ; Fritsch, Vog. Eur. taf. 37. fig. 6 ; Naumann, Vog. 

 Deutschl. taf. 226 ; Sundevall, Sv. Fogl. pi. 46. fig. 5 ; Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 280 ; id. B. 

 of G. B. iv. pi. 27; Schlegel, Vog. Nederl. pi. 195; Roux, Orn. Prov. pi. 319. 



Ad. pileo et nucha nigris, nuchae pluniis rufescente ochraceo apicatis : corpore supra rufescenti-ochraceo, 

 ubique nigro-fusco notato : dorsi plumis et scapularibus centraliter nitide nigris : remigibus et rectri- 

 cibus castaneis, nigro-fusco fasciatis : mento ochrascenti-albido, centraliter et lateraUter lineis fuscis 

 notato : collo et pectore plumis elongatis rufescenti-ochraceis nigro-fusco fasciatis et notatis indutis : 

 corpore subtus pallide ochraceo, vix rufescente lavato, plumis omnibus centraliter castaneis et nigro- 

 fusco marmoratis : subalaribus rufescentibus nigro-fusco fasciatis : rostro viridi-flavo : iride flava : 

 pedibus viridibus, unguibus nigricantibus. 



Juv. adulto similis sed ubique pallidior et brunnescentior. 



Adult Male (Holland) . Crown and nape black, the feathers on the latter tipped with warm ochreous ; 

 lower neck pale yellowish rufous, irregularly barred with blackish ; back and scapulars shining black, 

 broadly but irregularly margined with yellowish rufous, many of the feathers marbled with pale 

 rufous ; quills rich chestnut-red, irregularly but tolerably closely barred with blackish ; wing-coverts 

 warm clay-colour, variegated with chestnut-red and blackish ; tail chestnut- red, marbled and blotched 

 with black ; chin buffy white, with a dark brown streak down the centre ; from the base of the bill on 

 each side runs a dark brown broad streak ; entire neck and breast covered with long feathers, which 

 on the side of the neck are yellowish buff barred with wide V-shaped blackish bars, and in front and on 



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