80 AEDEID^ BUTOBIDBS 



Some eight species of this genus are usually recognised, d 

 tributed over the whole of the New World, Africa, includi 

 Madagascar, Southern and Eastern Asia from India to Jape 

 Australia, and many of the island groups of the Pacific. Only o 

 species is found in Africa. 



597. Butorides atricapilla. Green-hacked Heron. 



Arclea atricapilla, Afzel. Act. Acad. Stoclli. xxv, p. 264 (1804) ; Laym 

 B. S. Afr. p. 309 (1867). 



Butorides atricapilla, Kirlt, Ibis, 1864, p. 333 ; Gurncy, Ibis, 1865 

 271 [Durban] ; id. ed. Andersson's B. Damaral. p. 292 (1872) ; Ayr 

 Ibis, 1878, p. 300, 1886 p. 294 ; Shelley, Ibis, 1882, p. 364 [Umfi 

 River] ; Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. 8. Afr. p. 719 (1884) ; TF. Atjr, 

 Ibis, 1887, p. 63; Fleclt, Journ. Ornith. 1894, p. 388; Shelley, 

 Afr. i, p. 158 (1896) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1897, p. 517 [Zululand] ; id. C< 

 B. M. xxvi, p. 172 (1898) ; Woodward Bros., Natal B. p. 197 (189£ 

 Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 440 ; Reichenow , Vog. Afr. i, p. 370 (1901 

 HeUmayr, Journ. Oriiifh. 1902, p. 236 [Pienaars Eiver] ; Shortridt 

 Ibis, 1904, p. 205. 



Fig. 22. —Head of Butorides atricapilla. x f. Below, the anterior end 

 of the upper mandible magnified to show the serrations. 



DescriiMon. Adult Male. — Crown, with the elongated ere 

 feathers produced to a point, back with ornamental plumes ai 

 tail, all rich glossy dark green ; wings like the back, the cover 

 all edged with sandy buff, the primaries rather more dusky, edg( 

 with white ; ear coverts more or less ashy, bordered below by 

 short blackish streak ; hind neck and sides of the neck ashy-gre 



