608 



NYCTICORAX. NIGHTHERON. 



Generic Character. 



Rostrum baud caplte longius, 

 validum, basi altius quam 

 latum ^ lateratim compres- 

 sum ; mandibula superiore 

 paul6 incurvum. 



Nares laterales in sulco sitae. 



Caput pennis longissimis cy- 

 lindraceis instructum. 



Collum breve, crassum. 



Pedes graciles, tetradactyli, 

 digiti exteriores basi mem- 

 bran^ connexi ; unguis 

 . medius margine interna di- 

 latatus, pectinatus. 



Beak scarcely longer than the 

 head, strong, higher than 

 broad at the base, laterally 

 compressed ; the upper 

 mandible somewhat in- 

 curved. 



Nostrils lateral, placed in a 

 groove. 



Head adorned with very long 

 cylindrical feathers. 



Neck short and thick. 



Feet slender, four-toed ; the 

 outer toes connected at the 

 base by a membrane ; the 

 middle claw with its inner 

 margin dilated and pecti- 

 nated. 



Ardea. Ray.^ Linn,, Gmel., Lath., Temm., Cuv,, VieiL 

 BoTAURus. Briss. 

 Cancrofagus. Briss, 



In this genus the neck is more slender than in 

 the preceding, but stouter than in the Herons : 

 the head is furnished with several straight narrow 

 feathers, of a peculiar construction, on its hinder 



