The isobaric molar heat capacities for the binary mixtures (1-butanol + 1,4-butanediol) were determined in the temperature range from (293 to 353) K from measurements of isobaric specific heat capacity in a differential scanning calorimeter. The composition dependencies of the excess molar isobaric heat capacities obtained from the experimental results were fitted by the Redlich-Kister polynomials. Above T = 303.15 K, the excess isobaric molar heat capacities are negative over the whole composition range and absolute values increase with temperature. For temperatures (293.15 and 298.15) K, the excess values show S-shaped character. These excesses are however in general very small; at the temperature 298.15 K smaller than 0.1 J . K-1 . mol(-1). Additionally, the isobaric molar heat capacities of 2,3-butanediol, 1,2-butanediol, and 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol were determined over a similar temperature range. The experimental data for all diols are compared with available literature data and values estimated from group additivity. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.