Ordee HEEODIONES.] 
[Fam. ARDEID^. 
NYCTICOEAX C ALEDONICTIS. 
(NANKEEN NIGHT-HERON.) 
Caledonian Night-Heron, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 1, p. 55 (1785). 
Ardea caledonica, Gtn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 626 (1788). 
Ardea norm hollandiw, Vieill. N. Diet. d’Hist. Nat. xiv. p. 436 (1817). 
Njcticorax caledonicus, Steph. Gen. Zool. xi. p. 613 (1819). 
New-Holland Night-Heron, Lath. Gen. Hist. ix. p. 62 (1824). 
Ardea sparrmannii, Wagl. Syst. Av. Ardea, sp. 32 (1827). 
Nyctiardea caledonica. Gray, Hand-1, of B. iii. p. 33 (1871). 
^^^.supr^ dilute cinnamoraeus, dorso postico et uropygio paullo palhdioribus : pileo enstato et nneha mgr . 
plumis tribus occipitalibus pendentibus albis : striga superciliari, regione oculan et gems anticis albis : facie 
reliqua et collo laterali delicate ciunaraomeis : alis et cauda cimiamomeis oimiuib dorso concoloribus : subtus 
albus, gutture antico et laterali delicate cimiamomeis : regione ociilari virescenti-flava : rostro mgro, versus 
apicem corneo, gonyde cornea aut flavieante : pedibus sordide flavis : iride aurantiaca. 
Adult. Crown of the bead and the nape glossy blacb ; three occipital plumes, consisting of extremely fine 
feathers rolled in the form of a pointed queue, six inches long, pure white, with a narrow shaft-line o 
brown - ’sides and hind part of the neck, and the entire upper surface rich cmnamon-bTOwn, this colour 
being Lepcst on the shoulders, quills, and tail-feathers; throat, streak over the eyes, sides of fece, fore 
neck and all the under surface pure white ; on the sides of the neck and on the lower part of the body t e 
cinnamon and white are gradually blended. Hides orange; the bare space surronndmg hem greenish 
yellow ; bill black, horn-coloured or yellowish at the tip and along the lower edge of the under mandi e 
tarsi and toes dull yellow ; claws dark brown. Total length 21 inches ; wing, from flexure 11 ; tail 1; bill 
along the ridge 2-75, along the edge of lower mandible 3-5 ; bare tibia 1 ; tarsus 3 ; middle toe and 
3-25 ; hind toe and claw 2-25. 
Ymna Mr. Gould stale, that the young bird of the first year has the whole of the upper surface striated with 
buff and blaehish brown, narrow and lanceolate on the head and neck, broad and conspreuous on the back 
and wings; primaries and tail-feathers dark chestnut-red, deepening into black near the extremity and 
tipped with huffy white ; all the under surface buffy white, with a stripe of brown down t le cen re o eac 
feather ; irides yellow. 
04s. In some specimens the occipital plumes are tinged with buff and have black tips; in others, again, they 
are entirely absent ; these differences being apparently due to age and season. 
This species can only be included in our list as an occasional straggler Irom Australia, where it is 
said to be universally dispersed, although less abundant on the western *a-" ehewheie. 
specimen, now in my collection in the Colonial Museum, was shot m the Wellington Prov. 
thirty-one years ago ; and several instances have since been reported of its occurrence m the boutli 
Island *. 
* Referring to these cases, Sir George Grey has lately informed me that, that th’o stray birds 
some of these birds from Australia and liberated them at Wellington ; from wliic i mij, } ^ ^ 
