420 BOTAURUS LENTIGIXOSUS. 



with reddish-brown, that colour gradually extending on the 

 secondary quills. The tail-feathers are greyish-brown, un- 

 dulated with reddish. 



Length to end of tail 26 inches, to end of wings 25 ; 

 extent of wings 45; wing from flexure 12^; tail 4^; bill 

 along the ridge 3-^, along the edge of lower mandible 4^ ; 

 tarsus 3 f ; hind toe 1 j, its claw 1-^ ; second toe 2^, its claw 

 -j^-; third toe 3-^, its claw -^ ; fourth toe 1\^, its claw ^. 



Female. — The female differs from the male only in being 

 somewhat smaller. 



Habits. — This Bittern being a native of America, it is to 

 that continent that they who would describe its habits from 

 personal observation must betake themselves. Not having 

 had an opportunity of studying the bird in the living state, 

 although I have examined various entire specimens and skins 

 of it, I must have recourse to the writings of those ornitholo- 

 gists who are more or less familiar with it. 



Mr. Audubon informs us that in winter it resides chiefly 

 to the southward of the United States, the only districts in 

 which he has then met with it being the peninsula of Florida 

 and its islands, and the lower parts of the valley of the 

 Mississippi. He says that, although it migrates by night, 

 and seeks its food then also, it yet occasionally at least feeds 

 by day. " That they are extremely timid," he continues, " I 

 well know, for on several occasions, when I have suddenly 

 come upon them, they have stood still from mere terror, until 

 I have knocked them down with an oar or a stick. Yet, 

 when wounded, and their courage is raised, they show great 

 willingness to defend themselves, and if in the presence of a 

 dog, they never fail to spread out to their full extent the 

 feathers of the neck, leaving its hind part bare, ruffle those 

 of their body, extend their wings, and strike violently at their 

 enemy. When seized they scratch furiously, and endeavour 

 to bite, so that, unless great care be taken, they may inflict 

 severe wounds. I never saw one of them fly farther than 

 thirty or forty yards at a time ; and on such occasions, their 

 movements were so sluggish as to give opportunities of easily 



