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Birds of Celebes: Ardeidae. 
For a long time ornithologists were uncertain whether there was one or 
more species of Gorsachius, a matter which Mr. Biittikofer’s careful examination 
(h 5) has gone far to clear up. This ornithologist recognises two species: 
Gorsachius goisaki of Japan, also occurring in Formosa and the Pelews, the 
adult having the crown and occiput rusty red and the bill shorter; and Gorsachius 
melanolophus ranging from India and China to the Philippines, Borneo, Java, t;he 
Nicobars and Ceylon, and having a black crest, and a longer, stouter and 
straighter bill. Both black-crested and red-crested birds have been recorded 
from Formosa, the Philippines, and apparently Japan, but Mr. Biittikofer re- 
marks that he would believe rather in the occurrence of the two species in the 
same places than in the identity of G. goisagi with G. melanolophus. The state- 
ment of Legge, that G. melanolophus migrates from Malacca to Ceylon and 
India during the N. E. monsoon (the winter months from October onwards), is 
not allowed by Biittikofer, who says that it is a winter visitant to the Malay 
Peninsula and the Sunda Islands, as well as to Ceylon and the Nicobars ; the 
bird is, however, one that is rarely observed in life and is rare in collections, 
and there seems to be at present no sufficient evidence for drawing conclusions 
as to its w'anderings. On the other hand Mr. Whitehead’s discovery of a 
nest and eggs in Palawan seems to be proof that there are resident birds in 
the East India Islands. It appears probable, also, that the Archipelago may 
be visited in winter by others, as Mr. Biittikofer supposes. 
Care is required in ascertaining the sex of the birds; according to Hume 
and Oates, the female has the head rufous or reddish above, and it might, 
therefore, be mistaken for goisagi. 
The resident race of Talaut seems to be Botaurus kutteri of the Philippines 
including, according to Heine & Peichenow, Palawan, and we should think, 
most likely, N. Borneo. In describing it Prof. Cabanis says in effect nothing 
more than that it has a black head, but is smaller in all its dimensions than 
G. melanolophus. The Talaut birds are longer in the bill and shorter in the 
wing than those of Java, the under parts are much whiter, the ground-colour 
in the young Javan bird being cinnamon, inclining to white only about the 
middle of the feathers, the whole being more copiously streaked, mottled and 
vermiculated with black; while our rather older Javan example differs more 
widely in having the fore-neck and breast dark greyish cinnamon-rufous with 
scanty markings of black. 
GENUS BUTORIDES Blytli. 
This form has much in common with Ngcticorax, but is very much smaller 
(about as large as a Partridge) and the dorsal feathers are lengthened and 
lanceolate. It differs from the other small Herons of Celebes (Ardetta) by 
having the tarsus reticulated with large scales, by its shorter and stouter legs 
and feet, and in the adult by the ornamental dorsal feathers. 
