Order ARDE1F0BME8 
No. 251. 
Family ABDEIDJE. 
BOTAURUS POICILOPTIBUS WESTRALENSIS. 
WEST AUSTRALIAN BITTERN. 
(Plate 199.) 
Botatjeus poiciloptilfs WESTRALENSIS Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 235, 
1912 ; Sharks Bay, West Australia. 
Botaurus poeciloptilus (not Wagler) Ogilvie-Grant, Ibis 1910, p. 175. 
Botaurus poiciloptilus westralensis Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 235, 1912 ; id., 
List Birds Austr., p. 86, 1913. 
Distribution. West Australia. 
Adult male. Differs from Botaurus poiciloptilus poiciloptilus in being much darker 
above and smaller. Irides clear buff-brown, with a narrow outer circle of 
reddish-brown ; feet pale sea-green ; bill, duU buff, tinged with greenish at the 
sides, dirty-slate above. Culmen 67 mm., wing 310 mm. 
Nest and Eggs. Undescribed. 
Mr. Tom Carter says these are more plentiful than Dupetor gouldi, 
but are decreasing in numbers owing to settlement, drainage, etc. 
The type male figured and described was collected at Sharks Bay, 
Mid-west Australia, in December, 1880. 
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