676 



U. S. p. E. E. EXP. AISD SUEVETS — ZOOLOGY — GENEEAL EEPOET 



BUTORIDES, Blyth. v 



Butorides, "Bltth, 1849. Type ^rdea jawaiiica, Horsf." 



Ocniscus, Cabanis, Journal fur Orn. IV, 1856, 343. Type .Srdea virescens, Lin. 



Ch. — Bill acute, rather longer than the head, gently curved from the base above ; gonys slightly ascending. Legs very short ; 

 tarsi scarcely longer than the middle toe ; broadly scutellate anteriorly. Lateral toes nearly equal. Head with elongated feathers 

 above and behind ; these are well defined, lanceolate, as are the interscapulars and scapulars ; the latter not exceeding the tertials. 

 Neck short ; bare behind inferiorly. Tibia feathered nearly throughout. Tail of tvirelve feathers. 



This genus is not represented in Europe, although species occur in Asia, Africa, Australia, 

 and Oceanica. But one is found in the United States ; a second species belongs to South America, 

 (B. sca-pularis,) distinguished most easily by the neck being ash-colored, instead of dark purplish 



chestnut. 



Comparative measurements of Nycticoraceae. 



BUTORIDES VIRESCENS, B o n a p . 

 Green Heron; Fly-up-the-creek. 



^rdea virescens, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 238.— Gm. I, 1788, 635.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, 1813, 97 ; pi. Ixi.— 

 Ord's ed. p. 102.— Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 190.— Wagler, Syst. Av. 1827 ; ^rdea, No. 36.— Acd. 

 Orn. Eiog. IV, 1838, 274 ; pi. 333.— Ib. Syn. 264.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 105 ; pi. 367. 



Ardea (Botaurus) virescens, Bon. Specchio Comp. No. 180. .^Ib. Syn. 307. — Nutt. II, 1834, 63. 



Herodias virescens, Bon. List, 1838. — Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 340. 



Egrelia virescens, Swainson, 2^ Centen. 1838. No. 156. 



Butorides virescens, Bonap. Conspectus Av. II, 1855, 128. 



Agamia virescens, Reichenb. Icones Avium. 



Ocniscus virescens, Cabanis, Journ. IV, 1856, 343. Cuba. 



"Ardeachloroptera,hoDD," 1784. Gray. 



Jirdea Ivdoviciana, Gmelin, I, 1788, 630. 



" Ardea torquata, Mill. lUust. pi. ix." Gray. 



Green Heron, Pennant, II, 447. 



St. Ch. — Top of head and body above are glossy green ; the coverts edged with brownish yellow. Neck dark purplish 

 chestnut. Chin and central line of throat white. Body beneath plumbeous ash. Length, 15.00 ; wing, 7.50; tarsus, 2.00 ; 

 bill above, 2.40. 



Hrb. — United States generally. 



Bill stout ; culmen much compressed, gently convex towards the tip ; gonys ascending. Tarsi 

 shorter than the middle toe, covered behind and on the sides with small hexagonal scales. 

 I^ateral toes about equal, li0\ver fourtl^ oijl^ gf Jibia bare. Head with a crest of long, lanceo- 



