184 AEDEED^. 



Snpra niger, saturate ochraceo variegatns, plumis singulis utrinque ochraceo indentatis vel fasciatis ; dorso 

 imo, uropygio et supracaudalibus nigris ochraceo fasciatis et variegatis ; remigibus nigris, ochraceo- 

 rufo apieem versus tenninatis fusco variegatis ; cauda virescenti-nigra ; pileo nigro ; facie laterali et collo 

 nndique ochraceo late nigro fasciatis ; gula alba ; gutture medio paUide cinnamomeo, vix nigro fimbriato, 

 lineam longitudinalem formante ; praepectore quoque eodem modo striate ; pectoris plumis lateralibus 

 lanceolatis nigro et rufo longitudinaliter variegatis; corpore reliquo subtus stramineo-falvo, hypo- 

 chondriis brunneo fasciolatim variegatis ; subalaribus et asiUaribus ochraceis, fusco transfasciatis : rostro 

 nigro, mandibula brnnnescenti-flaTa ; loris nudis fusceseenti-flavis ; iride nitide flava. Long, tota 

 circa 31-0, ate 13-3, cauda 4-65, culm. 3-45, tarsi 4-2. (Descr. avis adult, ex Aunai, British Guiana. 

 Mus. nostr.) 



Jw). similis adulto, sed magis ochraceo-rufescens, nigro variegatns ; pileo nigro ochraceo transfasciato ; facie 

 laterali ochracea fere concolore : gutture toto albo ; corpore reliquo subtus pallide ochrascente, plumis 

 medialiter rufescentibus, quasi longitudinaliter striatis, nigro paullulum fimbriatis et vermiculatis ; tibiis 

 ochraceis, anguste brunneo transfasciatis. (Descr. femina juv. ex Eio de Janeiro. Mus. Brit.) 



Eab. Nicaragua, Greytown {Holland ^). — Guiaxa ^ ; Brazil *. 



This is a rare species in collections, but is nevertheless a very distinct one, as it 

 differs from all the other Bitterns in having the head barred with black and sandy-buff 

 like the neck-frill ; in B. lentiginosus and the Old-World Bitterns the head is uniform 

 brown or black. 



Although distributed over the greater part of Tropical South America, it is 

 nowhere very common, and its occurrence in Central America requires confirmation, for 

 Mr, Lawrence expresses some doubt as to his identification of the Nicaragua specimen 

 above recorded. We think, however, that there is no other species to which the latter 

 could be referred. 



We take the following remarks from Sclater and Salvin's ' Exotic Ornithology ' : — 

 " Upon comparing B. pinnatus with B. lentiginosus^ it is not difficult to point out 

 many obvious differences. The under-plumage of the two birds is much alike, except 

 that in the former the throat is pure white, and wants the two conspicuous black 

 stripes which in B. lentiginosus border each side of the neck. Above the two allies 

 are very difierent, the whole upper plumage in B. pinnatus being conspicuously crossed 

 by numerous transverse bars, which are entirely wanting in B. lentiginosus and are 

 replaced on the scapulars, outer margins of secondaries, and wing-coverts with dense 

 freckling. It is this difference in the wing-markings, we suppose, which led Lichten- 

 stein to call the present bird pinnatus. Another conspicuous character of this Bittern 

 is the length of the hind toe and great size of the claw. In the specimen now before 

 us the hind toe is two inches, and its claw nearly one inch and a half m length. In a 

 skin of ^. lentiginosus the corresponding dimensions are I'd in., I'l in. The tarsi of 

 the two species hardly differ in length." 



Beyond the fact that this Bittern has similar habits to the European B. stellaris, 

 nothing has been published respecting its mode of life or nidification. 



