AMERICAN BITTERN. 105 



Nest, among the reeds, luiilt of deuil and withered reeds, attached to tlie 

 living ones, well and firndy huilt, not far al)ove the vvatei'. 



The eggs of the (4Iossy Ibis measure from 1-!M) hy 1-4.") to 2-1(1 by 1 -.")0, 

 and are of a dull greenish-hlue color, without markings. The number usually 

 deposited is believed to be thi-ee. 



About the end of May, 18.^7, Mr. .loliii Bates, whose farm adjoins 

 the creek near the Hamilton waterworks, saw two tired-looking birds 

 which he took to be curlews, circlinj^ round with the evident inten- 

 tion of ali,ii;litin<f near the creek. Mr. Bates' gun was always in 

 order, and none in the neighborhood at that time knew better than 

 he how to use it. Tn a few minutes he picked up a pair of Glossy 

 Ibises, the only birds of tlie kind which have been observed in 

 Ontario. This inm; which subsequently came into my possession, 

 were male and female in fine adult phunage. They are not common 

 anywhere on the American continent. Wilson knew nothing of the 

 sjiecies, nor was it known to naturalists till after his death. 



This bird is widely distributed and well known in Europe, and 

 has also been observed in Africa. A few breed in the West Indies, 

 and also in the more southern parts of the eastern United States, 

 but the habitat is local, and the numbers small. In the west is a 

 closely allied species, named the White-faced Glossy Ibis, which is 

 very coinmon along the coast of California to Oregon. 



Suborder HERODII. Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, etc. 



Fa.milv ARDEID^. Herons, Bitterns, etc. 



Subfamily BOTAURIN^. Bitterns. 



Genus BOTAURUS Hermann. 



Subgenus BOTAURUS. 



BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS (Montag.). 



70. American Bittern. (190) 



Plumage of upper part, singularly freckled with brown of various shades, 

 blackish, tawny and whitish; neck and luidei- parts, ochrey or tawny-white; 

 each featlier marked with a brown dark-edged stripe ; the throat line, wliite, 

 with brown streaks ; a velvety-ldack patch on each side of the neck al)ove ; 

 crown, dull brown, with buff superciliary stripe ; tail, brown ; quills, greenish- 

 black, with a glaucous shade, l)rown tipped; bill, black and yellowish; legs, 

 greenish; soles, yellow. Lengtli, •23-28: wing. 10-13; tail, 4h: bill, about 3; 

 tarsus, about 3i. 



