674 



U. S. p. R. R, EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 



The female differs in having the green of the head and hack replaced hy purplish chestnut ; 

 the brownish yellow tints more hoary ; the feathers of the tliroat with a narrow central dusky 

 streak. 



An allied species in South America, {A. erythromelas,) according to Bonaparte, has the hack 

 purplish chestnut, instead of dark green. The European A. minuta differs in being larger; the 

 upper wing coverts milk white, not brownish yellow ; the under wing coverts white, instead of 

 olivaceous yellow. 



List of specimens. 



Catal.No. Sex. 



Locality. 



When collected. 



Whence obtained. 



Length. Stretch 

 of wings. 



Wing. 



1546 

 1647 

 1099 

 9485 

 9484 

 9486 



3 

 Q 



Carlisle, Pa. 

 ....do 



May 18, 1844. 

 .. .do 



S. F. Baird. 

 do. 



13.56 

 13.75 



17.64 

 17.75 



4.88 

 4.88 



Washington, D. C 



Texas 



Mimbrcs to Eio Grande. 

 Sacramento valley 



June, 1843. 



do 



Capt. Pope 



Dr. Henry 



Lieut. Williamson , 



BOTAURUS, Stephens. 



Bolaurus, Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XI, ii, 1819, 592. Type Ardea stellaris, L. 



Ch. — Bill moderate, scarcely longer than the head. Bill outlines gently convex, gonya ascending. Tarsi very short, less 

 than the middle toe ; broadly scutellate. Inner lateral toe much longest. Claws all very long, acute, and nearly straight. 

 Tail of ten feathers. No peculiar crest. Plumage loose, opaque, streaked. Sexes similar. 



But one species of this genus is found within the limits of the United States. 



BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS, Stephens. 



Bittern; Stake-drivcr. 



Ardea stellaris, Var. Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 410. 



J}rdett sIcUaris, Var. /?, Bolaurus freii-hudsonis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat I, 1788, (iS.'i. 



Ardea lentiginosa, Montagu, Cm. Diet. Suppl. 1813. — Jentns, Man. 191. — .^cn. Syn. 1839, 2G3. — Ib. Birds Amor. 



VI, 1843, 94 ; pi. 3G5.— Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 374. 

 Bolaurus lentiginosus, Steph, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XI, 1819, 596. 

 Jlrdea {Bolaurus) lentiginosa, Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 60. 

 Bulor lenliginosus , Jardine, Br. Birds, III, 147. 

 Jlrdea minor, Wilson, Am. Cm. VIII, 1814, 35 ; pi. Ixv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, 18G.— Ann. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 296 ; 



pi. 337. 

 Bolaurus minor, Bonap. List, 1838. — Ib. Consp. II, 1855, 13C.— Gunui.ach, Cab. Journ. IV, 185G, 34G. 

 ^rdea mokoho, Vieillot, Diet. — Waoler, Syst. Av. Ardca, No. 29. 



Sp. Cn. Brownish yellow, finely mottled and varied with dark brown and brownish red. A broad black stripe on each side 



the neck, starting behind the ear. Length, 26.50 ; wing, 11.00 ; tarsus, 3. GO ; bill above, 2.75. 

 Ilah. — Entire continent of North America. 



Bill short, scarcely longer than the head. Gonya ascending, nearly straight. Culmen curved 

 towards the tip. Tarsi short, less than the middle toe and claw, covered anteriorly for two- 

 thirds the circumference by a single series of scutellae, and behind by a double series. Claws all 



