48 
ALTRICIAL GRALLATORES — HERODIONES. 
Genus BUTORIDES, Blyth. 
Butorides, “Blyth, 1849,” Bonap. Consp. II. 1855, 128 (type, Ardea javcmica, Horsf. ). 
Oniscus, Caban. J. f. 0. IV. 1856, 343 (type, ArdeU vircscens, Linn.). 
Gen. Char. Small Herons, of darkish, more or less variegated, colors, the pileum and occiput 
crested. Bill 1 rather stout, decidedly longer than the tarsus. Mental apex reaching to a little 
less than half way (in B. brunnescens exactly half way) from the middle of the eye to the point of 
the bill, and to decidedly beyond the anterior end of the nostril ; malar apex about even with the 
frontal, and decidedly posterior to the hinder end of the nostril (in B. brunnescens this point falls 
considerably short of the frontal one). Middle toe very nearly or quite equal to the tarsus (equal 
to it in B. javanicus, a little shorter in the American forms, the difference being most marked in 
B. virescens ) ; outer toe scarcely or not at all longer than the inner (except in B. brunnescens) ; 
B. virescens. 
hallux about half the length of the middle toe ; bare portion of tibia equal to or shorter than the 
hallux. 
Pileum with a full crest of broadly lanceolate, compact-webbed feathers, these longer and more 
narrowly lanceolate on the occiput. Scapulars and interscapulars elongated and lanceolate in the 
adult, but not reaching the end of the tail (very much as in Ardea). 
It will be observed, from the terms of the above diagnosis, that the species of this genus vary 
somewhat in the minor details of external form ; the differences are so slight, however, that they 
are evidently of not more than specific importance. As stated above, B. javanica differs from the 
American species in the contour of the bill, the culmen being slightly depressed about the middle 
portion, as in Dichromancissa rufa. It should also be noted, however, that the several American 
1 There is a decided difference in the form of the bill between the type of this genus, Ardea javanica, 
Horsfield, and the four American species, it being in the former almost exactly as in Dichromanassci 
rufa, in all its outlines and proportions, although it is, of course, very much smaller. All the other char- 
acters, however, even the system of coloration, correspond so entirely with those of the American forms 
that the latter may be all considered typical. The generic characters are therefore modified, as to the bill, 
so as to include all. B. patruclis, Beale, from Tahiti, is quite similar in form to B. javanica. 
