676 U. S. P. R. K. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY- — GENERAL REPORT 
BUTORIDES, Blyth. 
Butorides, " Blyth, 1849. Type Ardea javanica, Horsf." 
Ocniscus, Cabanis, Journal fiir Orn. IV, 1856, 343. Type Ardea 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 twelve 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 helongs to South America, 
(B. scapularis,) distinguished most easily by the neck being ash-colored, instead of dark purplish 
chestnut. 
Comparative measurements of Nycticoraceae. 
Catal. 
No. 
Species. 
Locality. 
Sex & age. 
15.00 
18.25 
15.50 
14.80 
23.00 
o 
1 * 
w 
21.00 
Wing. 
Tail. 
2.05 
2.15 
Middle toe. 
Its claw 
alone. 
Hind toe 
and claw. 
Hind claw 
alone. 
Bill above. 
i 
Specimen 
measured. 
9491 
7068 
do. 
1126 
Butoriden virescens 
Tulare valley, Cal. 
Salt creek, K. T 
7.50 
2.76 
2.92 
2.10 
2.26 
0.34 
0.40 
1.00 
0.94 
0.44 
0.52 
2.10 
2.46 
2.94 
3.20 
7.50 
Fresh ... 
3 
2 
7.50 
7.50 
12.90 
13.50 
12.75 
12.50 
12.00 
12.20 
11.70 
10.00 
2.88 
3.14 
5.10 
5.20 
2.00 
1.92 
3.16 
3.14 
2.12 
2.00 
3.33 
3.26 
0.32 
0.40 
0.50 
0.54 
0.86 
0.86 
1.40 
1.30 
0.46 
0.50 
0.88 
2.14 
2.46 
3,10 
2.70 
3.10 
4.06 
3.76 
298 
1670 
4148 
do. 
5564 
3041 
do. 
3836 
do. 
do 
Nycticorax americanus. 
Philadelphia, Pa. .. 
Pesrfueria, N. Leon 
31.75 
28.00 
42.50 
Fresh ... 
Skin 
3 
3 
5.46 
5.20 
3.30 
3.72 
3.78 
2.88 
0.40 
1.56 
2.19 
0.88 
3.30 
2.78 
4.48 
3.28 
Nyeterodius violaceus.. 
23.40 
40.50 
Fresh ... 
Fort Brown, Texas. 
5.00 
3.70 
2.72 
0.44 
1.92 
0.89 
2.78 
3.42 
40.50 
23.00 
Fresh . . 
BUTORIDES VIRESCENS, Bonap. 
Green Heron ; Fly-up- the-creek. 
Ardea 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 ; Ardea, No. 36.— Aud. 
Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 274 ; pi. 333.— Ib. Syn. 264.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 105 ; pi. 367. 
Ardea {Botauras) virescens, Bon. Specchio Comp. No. 180.— Ib. Syn. 307.— Nutt. II, 1834, 63. 
Herodias virescens, Bon. List, 1838.— Gosse, Birds Jam. 1847, 340. 
Egretta 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. 
"Ardea cliloroptera, Bodd." 1784. Gray. 
Ardea ludoviciana, Gmelin, I, 1788, 630. 
"Ardea lorquata, Mill. Illust. pi. Ix." Gray. 
Green Heron, Pennant, II, 447. 
S P , Ch. — Top of head and body above arc 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 abovo, 2.40. 
Hib. — United States generally. 
Bill stout ; culmen much compressed, gently convex towards the tip ; gonys ascending. Tarsi 
shorter than the middle toe, coyered behind and on the sides with small hexagonal scales. 
Lateral toes about equal. Lower fourth only of tibia bare. Head with a crest of long, lanceo- 
