172 ARBmDM. 



most of the States. We ourselves never met with the species in Guatemala, but we 

 have one specimen in our collection sent by Mr. Sarg. In Nicaragua it has apparently 

 not yet been noticed. 



Nothing has been recorded of the habits of this Heron in Central America. In 

 South America, where the species is widely distributed, it seems to be somewhat 

 solitary, frequenting the banks of quiet rivers and woodland streams. 



NYCTICORAX. 



Nycticorax, Rafin. Analyse, p. 71 (1815) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvi. p. 145 (1898). 

 Nyctiardea, Swainson, Classif. Birds, ii. p. 354 (1837) ; Ridgway, Bull. U. S. Geol. & Geog r 

 Survey, iv. p. 224 (1878). 



The true Night-Herons, according to Dr. Sharpe, differ from the members of the 

 genus Ardea and its several subgenera in having " the bare portion of the tibio-tarsus 

 of less extent than the length of the inner toe, the feathering sometimes extending to 

 the heel." The Agami Heron, which is somewhat an aberrant member of the genus 

 Ardea, shares the above characters with Nycticorax, but its enormously long pointed 

 bill allies it with Ardea, as the Night-Herons have a very moderately-sized bill, about 

 equal in length to the tarsus, with no serrations in either mandible, the upper one 

 having merely a notch before its tip. The present genus and the succeeding one 

 {Nyctanassa), have much in common, but the tarsus is shorter in Nycticorax, and 

 the ornamental plumes are long and narrow, white, and only two or three in 

 number. 



Mr. Eidgway gives the following distinctive characters for the present genus as 

 compared with those of Nyctanassa : — " Size medium. Adult with several extremely 

 elongated, linear, compact-webbed, occipital plumes. No scapular plumes. Jugular 

 feathers broad, blended. Culmen about equal to tarsus, the latter slightly longer than 

 middle toe. Lateral outlines of bill concave ; genys nearly straight. Adult and young 

 exceedingly different in plumage." 



Eight species of true Night-Herons are known, and the genus Nycticorax is found 

 throughout the temperate and tropical portions of both hemispheres. 



1. Nycticorax griseus. 



Ardea nycticorax, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 235 ^. 



Nycticorax nycticorax, Licht. Nomencl. Av. Mus. Berol. p. 90 ^ ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. 



xxvi. p. 146 ' ; Gates, Cat. Eggs Brit. Mus. ii. p. 123 *. 

 Ardea grisea, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 239 ^ 

 Nyctiardea grisea, Sumichr. La Nat. v. p. 233 *. 

 Ardea ruevia, Bodd. Tabl. PI. Enl. p. 56 '. 

 Nyctiardea grisea, var. naevia, Allen, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. iii. p. 182'; Lawr. Bull. U. S. Nat. 



Mus. no. 4, p. 49 '. 



