320 
ARDEIDiE. 
Genus NYCTICORAX, Stephens. 
NYCTICORAX CALEDONICUS, Latham. 
Nankeen Night Heron. 
Gould, ILandbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. ii., sp. 557, p. 311. 
“ The nest is a loose structure of a few sticks placed crosswise 
over forks on the branches of trees overhanging creeks etc. ; the 
specimens under consideration were taken by Mr. Alex. Morton, 
from some low bushes on Schnapper Island, near Port Stephens, 
they are two in number of a pale bluish-green, in length (A) 2'1 
x 1-55 inches; (B) 21 x 1'17 inches in breadth.” (Ramsay, 
P.L.S., N.S. IF., Yol. vii., p. 55.) 
Two nests of this species taken by Mr. K. H. Bennett in the 
Lachlan River district in 1879, contained four eggs each, of the 
same pale bluish-green colour, two average specimens of which 
measure as follows: — length (A) 2T x 1’56 inches; (B) 2-15 x 
1*55 inches; one in the Australian Museum Collection, taken on 
the 30th of November 1880, at Port Stephens, is smaller, 
measuring 1-96 inch in length by 1'45 inch in breadth. 
If/d/. Derby, N.W. Australia, Port Darwin and Port Essington, 
Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, 
Wide Bay District, Richmond and Clarence Rivers Districts, 
New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, Tasmania, South 
Coast New Guinea. (Ramsay.) 
Genus BOTAURUS, Stephens. 
BOTAURUS POICILOPTERUS, Wagler. 
Australian Bittern. 
Gould, ILandbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. ii., sp. 558, p. 313. 
This bird is found over the greater portions of Australia and 
Tasmania. It resorts to the margins of lakes and rivers for the 
purposes of breeding, where it constructs an open nest of reeds 
