524 BOTAURUS MINOR, BITTERN. 



374.— NUTT., Man. ii, 1834, 60.— AuD., Svn. 1839, 263; B. Am. vi, 1843, 94, pi 

 365.— GiR., B. L. I. 1844, 28.5.— Putn., Pr. Ess. lust, i, 1856, 218.— Tiuppe, ibid. 

 vi, 1871, 119. 

 Botmirus lcnU(jlnosm, Steph., Shaw's Geu. Zool. xi, 1819, 596. — Macgil., Man. ii, 124. — 

 Gi?AV, Geu. of B. iii, 557. — Bd., B. N. A. 1858, 674; Mex. Bound. Surv. ii, pt. ii, 

 1859, 24 (Matanioras).— Heeuai., P. K. R. Rep. x, 1859, pt. vi, 63 (California.)— 

 Coop. & Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860, 228.— Wheat., Ohio Agric. Rep. 1860, 

 No. 187.— CouES, Pr. Pliila. Acad. 1861, 227 (Labrador) ; 1866, 95 (Arizona) ; 1871, 

 34 (North Carolina). — Coues «fc Peext., Smiths. Rep. 1861, 415 (resident). — 

 Hayi>., Rep. 1862, 173.— Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1862, 321 (California).— Boardm., 

 Pr. Bost. Soc. ix, 1862, 128 (Maine, common, breeds). — Coues, ihid.-^u, 1868, 123 

 (South Carolina, resident). — Mayx., ibid. 1871 (New Hampshire). — Aiken, ibid. 

 1872, 209 (Colorado).— Tr.iPPE, ibid. 1872, 240 (Iowa, abundant, breeds).— Verr., 

 Pr. Ess. Inst, iii, 1862, 153 (Maine, breeds). — Allex, ibid, iv, 1864, 76. — McIlwr., 

 ibid. V, 1866, 91 (Canada West, abundant, summer). — Coues, ibid, v, 1868, 290. — 

 Hoy, Smiths. Rep. 1864, 438 (Missouri). — Lawr., Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii, 1866, 292. — 

 Dress., Ibis, 1866, 32 (Texas).— Salv., Ibis, 1866, 196 (Guatemala).— Allex, 

 Mem. Bost. Soc. i, 1868, .501, 507, 520 (Iowa and Illinois).— Allex, Bull. M. C. Z. 

 ii, 1871, 359 (Florida); iii, 1872, 182 (Kausas and Utah).— TuRXB., B. E. Pa. 



1869, 28.— Mayx., Guide, 1870, 144 (Massachusetts, April to October).— Endi- 

 COTT, Am. Nat. iii, 1869, 169 (best biography). — Stev., U. S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 



1870, 465 (Wyoming).- Sxow. B. Kans. 1873, 9.— Ridgw., Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 

 1874, 386 (Illinois). 



Butor Icrtfigivosus, Jard., Br. Birds, iii, 147. 



Butor americana, Swaixs., Classif. B. ii, 1837, 354. 



Jrdea moloko, Vieill., Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xiv, 440.— Wagl., Syst. Av. 1827, No. 29. 



Ardca adtipersa, Light., "Mus. Berol." 



Botaurus adspersus, Cab. {Bp.) 



Hah. — Entire temperate North America (up to 58° or 60°). Cuba. South to Guate- 

 mala. Breeds chiefly from the Middle districts northward, ■wintering thence south- 

 ward. Regularly migratory. Accidental in Europe (Gould, B. Eur. pi. 281. — Thomp., 

 Ann. Mag. N. H. xvii, 1846, 91. — Hart., Brit. B. 1872, 150 ; numerous instances). 



Lieutenant JVarren's Expedition. — 5455, Vermilion River; 8911, Platte River. 



Later Expeditions. — 60774, Sv.-eetwater. 



Not obtained by Captain Raynolds' Expedition. 



The very great variation in size of this species has not usually been recognized. I 

 have measured individuals from 23 to 34 inches in length, with an extent of wing from 

 32 to 43 inches; the wing 9.^ to 13, and other measurements to correspond. The colora- 

 tion varies interminably; even the characteristic velvety black spot on the side of the 

 neck is sometimes obsolete. 



Audubon has giveu accounts of nearly all our Herons, with which he 

 was very familiar, in a series of admirable biographies, leaving little to 

 be desired. He was less fortunate in the case of the Bittern, admitting 

 that he nev^er bad a good opportunity of observing all its habits. This 

 beiug the case with "the American Woodsman," it is less singular that 

 no other writer has completed the history of the species. Latterly, 

 however, Mr. Endicott has gone far toward supplying the deficieucy, in 

 his excellent article above cited ; and Mr. Samuels gives some interest- 

 ing particulars. Every one knows the Bittern by sight, and has a gen- 

 eral, if vague, idea of its character, but few have become familiar with 

 its ways. Wilson conveys but little informatiou, and that not entirely 

 to the point. Eichardson fixes its northern limit at 58°, but has little 

 more to say. Nuttall's account is chiefly a compilation from these two 

 sources. Although I am tolerably familiar with the bird, I have never 

 seen its nest, or found it where 1 could suppose it was breeding. 

 According to the best accounts, its peculiarities in respect of uidihca- 

 tion are, that it does not assemble in communities, at auj' rate of large 

 extent, to breed, and that the nest is usually placed on the ground. 

 Mr. Samuels says: "It breeds in communities, sometimes as many as a 

 dozen pairs nesting within the area of a few rods. The nests are placed 

 on low bushes, or thick tufts of grass, sometimes in low, thickly- wooded 

 trees ; and are composed of coarse grasses, twigs, and a few leaves. I 



