igoi] Kells — Cory's Least Bittern. 69 



clearly that it was not. I therefore pushed my boat as close to 

 the rushes as I dared, and watched it for a quarter of an hour, 

 and then turned to leave it as I had no g^un. After going- some 

 fifty yards I turned as I thought to have another look at my rare 

 friend when my lady companion suggested to me to hit it with my 

 oar. I took the hint, but as I was about to strike, the bird arose 

 and flew to the other side of the marsh. I followed, and as it 

 allowed me to approach within a couple of yards, I succeeded in 

 knocking it over and secured it. While watching its actions I 

 noted that these were altogether different from those of any other 

 Least Bittern that I had previously seen, for instead of standing 

 erect when being watched, as is the habit of the other members of 

 the family, it would crouch down until it seemed to be only the 

 size of a Virginian Rail, its long neck being altogether out of 

 sight. It had a very slow, sneaky walk, grasping a single rush 

 with one foot and striding as far as possible so as to grasp 

 another. It seemed to be feeding on insects on the lily leaves at 

 the foot of the rushes, as it would every few seconds dart out its 

 neck with great rapidity and take something off the leaves." 



In the appendix to Coues' "Key to North American Birds, 

 1884," thefollowing descriptionof theFloridaDwarf Bittern is given: 

 '•Crown, back and tail black, glossed with green ; sides of head 

 and throat chestnut, the feathers on the back of the neck tipped 

 with greenish-black, breast and under parts rufous-chestnut, nearly 

 uniform, shading into blackish on the sides, under tail coverts 

 dull black, upper tail coverts rufous-chestnut, the under ones paler 

 chestnut, all the remiges slaty plumbeous. Length 10.80 inches, 

 wing 4.30, tarsus 1.40, bill 1.80; habitat southwestern Florida." 

 It will also be noted by the more advanced students of Ornithology 

 that while these specimens are thus described by Dr. Coues in 

 "The Key" of 1884, Ardetta neoxena, yet, in "The Union. Check 

 List" of more recent date, the name Botaurus neoxenus is used, and 

 by ornithologists it is known b) both these names, as well as by 

 the different English names previously mentioned. In the October, 

 1894, issue of the " Biological Review for Ontario," Mr. H. Brown 

 writes that up to that date nine specimens of Cory's Bittern had 

 been captured at Toronto, and he gives a r^sum^ of its history, 

 from which a few extracts are here given. "A most peculiar circum- 



