72 BULLETIN 135, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



in fact as the egrets. It was practically impossible to get within gunshot of 

 them — hence the use of the rifle. All the jabirus that I saw on the ground were 

 standing on the low sandy banks of streams. I was amused to notice that when 

 the jabiru started to fly he was obliged to run along the beach for about 20 or 

 30 feet before taking off. Later, when I learned to fly myself in Miami in 1917, 

 I realized the necessity of running over the ground before taking off'. I also 

 appreciated the difficulty the jabiru had in landing. At the time, it seemed 

 rather ridiculous to see this great big, beautiful ffyer find it impossible to come 

 to rest on the ground easily and gracefully, as small birds do. Instead, 

 he bumped and hopped along so that one got the impression his legs were about 

 to break in pieces before he finally succeeded in stopping on the sandy shore. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Most of South America; accidental in the United States. 

 A sedentary species that breeds generally throughout its normal 

 range. In South America the jabiru is found east to British Guiana 

 (Georgetown) and northeastern Brazil (Para). South to southern 

 Brazil (San Paulo, Asuncion, and the lower Pilcomayo River) and 

 central Argentina (Buenos Aires). West to northwestern Argentina 

 (Chiquinta and Chaco) ; Bolivia (Fortin Crevaux) ; Peru (Cerro de 

 Pasco and the Ucayali River) ; Colombia (Meta River) ; and Costa 

 Rica (La Palma, Nicoya, Rio Frio, and Miravalles). North to 

 Nicaragua (Escondido River); and Venezuela (Orinoco River). 

 The species has been reported also from Mexico (Cosamaloapam in 

 Vera Cruz) ; and the head of a specimen that had been taken near 

 Austin, Texas, was donated to the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences. 



Family ARDEIDAE, Herons, Bitterns, etc. 



BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS (Montagu) 



AMERICAN BITTERN 



HABITS 



Though nowhere especially abundant, the American bittern is 

 widely and generally distributed over nearly all of the North Amer- 

 ican continent and adjacent islands, wherever it can find the secluded 

 bogs and swamps, in which it leads a rather solitary existence. It 

 is less gregarious and more retiring in its habits than the other herons, 

 hence less conspicuous and not so well known, even in localities where 

 it is really common. Doctor Coues (1874) has well described its 

 character, as follows: 



No doubt he enjoys life after his own fashion, but his notions of happiness are 

 peculiar. He prefers solitude, and leads the eccentric life of a recluse, "forget- 

 ting the world, and by the world forgot." To see him at his ordinary occupation, 

 one might fancy him shouldering some heavy responsibility, oppressed with a 

 secret, or laboring in the solution of a problem of vital consequence. He stands 

 motionless, with his head drawn in upon his shoulders, and half-closed eyes, in 

 profound meditation, or steps about in a devious way, with an absent-minded 



