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always distingaislied by the feathered patch on the base o f the mandible, tvliicli wc have
already spoken of.
The earliest notice we have heen able to find to this speeies, is that given by Dr. George
Such m the fifth number o f the Zoological Journal, published in April, 1826. Dr. Siich’s
description is not very complete, hut we have little doubt that it was intended for tliis bird,
and there can he no question that this is the species to whioh Wagler has applied Dr. Such’I
name. In his “ Contributions to the Natural History o f Brazil” Prince Max. appears to have
described the present bird as Ardea Uneaia—a name established hy Gmelin upon Buffon’s
Planche Enluminée No. 860,'and which is therefore merely a synonym o f Tigrisoma Irasiliense.
Prof. Schlegol has proposed to follow this nomenclature, whioh, however, we cannot agree to
more especially as Dr. Such's appellation has a priority o f some years. ’
In its mode o f life, Prince Max. tells us, this Tigor-hittem much resembles the European
Botaurus stdlaris, hut is not quite so shy ; being not unfrequently observed in marshy districts
within a few hundred feet o f human habitations.
For the loan o f the beautiful specimens o f this species, from which our figures have been
taken, we are again indebted to the liberality o f Mr. Alexander F iy . As was the case with
Botaurus pinnatus his e-xamples o f this Bittern were likewise obtained in the vicinity o f the
Brazilian capital.
We should mention that our fr-ont figure, which is h a lf the size o f life, represents an individual
not quite mature. In the perfectly adult bird the transverse markings on the head and neck
are less apparent, and the tail-bands probably wholly disappear. There is a single adult
mounted specimen o f this bfrd in the GaBcry o f the British Museum, hut it bears no locality
attached to it.
The three American species o f Tiger-hitterns may be shortly distmguished as follows
là media plum o s â,_ la te ra litè r nudâ.
1. T i OBISOMA BEA3ILIENSE.
A rd ea I r a .ilie n n ,, Lin n . S. K . p. 239 : B a rm . S y .l. Uel>. iii. p. 110, T igrieona braeiUeae, C .b . in Scliomb
Guinn, iii. p. 75 1 : ScL P.Z.S . 1857, p. 208, e t 1860, p. 72 : I.aw r, A n n . Lyc. N . Y. vii. p. 301 • Scl
& Salv. P.Z.S . 1807, p. 079 : L eo tau d , Oia de T rin . p . 126. A rd ea lir eala, Gm. S. N . p. 638 ( e s B u i .
PI. E n l 860). A rd e a seee. W ag l. Syal. Av. A rd e a , sp. 30. Ard e a tigrina, Gm. S. K . i. p . 637 (ex
Bnff. PI. E n l, 790) : W ag l. S ja t. A s . Ardea, sp. 8 0 « : Tscb. F . P . Aves, p. 5 0 ; Bnrm. Syst. Ueb. iii.
p . 1 09. Tigrieoma tigrinum. Cab. in Scbomb. Guian. in. p . 7 5 3 ; Sel. P.Z.S . 1857, p. 268 1858 p 161
e t 1860, p. 290.
B ia g n . Man d íb u la ad b a sin n u d â : pileo colloque su p e ro castaneis.
B a b . Cay enne (,S.«(ro«) ; G u ia n a ( & i u « i » j i ) : U p p e r A m a sen (Æ a« * » eS) ; E . P e ru ( M » * ' ) : W e s te rn
E cu a d o r (F ra ser) : T rin id ad (L eo ta u d ) : Pan am a (M c L e am a n ).
2. T igrisoma fasciatum, tab . x c ii. p. 183.
B ia g n . M a n d ib u lâ ad b a sin p a rtim p lumos a : pileo colloque su p e ro æneo-nigricantibus.
l i a i . S o u tb E a s te rn Brazil (S u ch , M a x ., F -y ).
B, Spccics g u lâ omnino nudâ.
3. Tickisoma cabanisi, tab . s i v i i r . p. 95.
M a l. C e n tral America, from So u th ern Mexico to Verag u a .*
* A rc é h a s rec en tly tra n sm itte d a sk in o f th is species from V erag u a , th u s defining its p robable so u th e rn lim it.
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