470 



REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1892. 



gated bluish or greenish shade." (Key, p. 05<>.) When we come to the 

 Bitterns, however, a peculiar difference is to be noted, and the descrip- 

 tion of their oological characters are set forth in the subjoined table: 



Eggs of Ameriva)i bitterns. 



Species. 



Coues. 



Ridgwav. 



Botaurus lentiginotus Nests on the ground; eggs, 3-5: 



brownish-drab, with a gray (not 

 green) shade. 1.90 to 2.00 X 1.50. 

 Key, p. 664.) 



B.exilis Eggs, 3-5, elliptical, white, with 



faintest tinge of bluish 1.92 X 

 1.22 (I. e.,p. 665). 



Eggs pale olive-drab, orp ale isa- 

 bella color. 1.88 X 1.43. (Man- 

 ual, p. 126.) 



Eggs white, or greenish-white. 

 1.20 X 0.93. (I. c, p. 127). 



If the Bitterns are to be considered as a subfamily of the Ardeidce 

 (Ardew Sharpe), it can not be truly said that all the representatives of 

 such a group lay blue eggs. 



More uniformity seems to exist among authors in their descriptions 

 of the eggs of the Cranes, Bails, and their allies (suborder Paludi- 

 col^:). Selecting the works I have thus far consulted, we find the fol- 

 lowing characters variously given : 



Oology of the Paludicolas. 



Species, etc. 



Coues. 



Cranes {Grvs). . . 

 Grits americana 



A ramus 



A. giganteus 

 liallas 



Nest on the ground; "eggs few (p. 

 666). 



Eggs 2 (or 3?) 3.75 X 2.65 light 

 brownish-drab, rather sparsely 

 marked, except at great end. with 

 large irregular spots of dull choc 

 olate brown, witli paler obscure 

 shell - markings; shell rough, 

 with numerous warty elevations 

 andpunctulate (p. 667). 



Ridgw;.y. 



Porzana noveboracensis 



The eggs are numerous, generally 

 variegated in color (p. 670). 



Eggs about 6, rich, warm butty - 

 brown, marked at the great end 

 with a cluster of reddish-choco- 

 late dots and spots (p. 674). 



Ionornis martinica I Not recorded (p. 676) 



Gallinula galea ta 



Faliea americana . 



Nidiflcation exactly that of 

 coot (p. 675). 



Eggs about a dozen, broad, shaped 

 like an average hen's egg, clear 

 clay color, uniformly and mi- 

 nutely dotted with dark brown, 

 tin spots usually mere pin-beads, 

 sometimes large blotches. 1.75 

 to 2.00 long by 1.20 to 1.35 broad 

 (pp. 676,677;. 



Eggs pale olive or olive, bully, 

 spotted with brown, reddish- 

 brown, and purplish-gray. 



Size 4.04 X 2.50. 



fEggs 4-7 (sometimes as many as 



15? (2.32 X 1.70, pale dull buff. 



spotted, daubed, and stained 



with brown and purplish- gray 



\ (p. 136). 



Eggs 6-15, white, butty white, dull 

 butf, or pale brownish-buff, rather 

 sparingly spotted and speckled 

 with rusty brown and purplish- 

 gray (p. 137). 



Eggs 6or more, creamy-buff dense- 

 ly sprinkled and speckled on 

 larger end with rusty brown (p. 

 140). 

 Eggs about 11, light-burl' or pale 

 olive butt', spotted longitudinally 

 with ciunamon brown or rusty 

 and purplish gray (p. 140). 

 Eggs 6-10, pale cream color or 

 creamy white, speckled (some- 

 times," also, sparingly spotted), 

 chiefly around larger end with 

 brown and purplish gray (p. 141). 

 Eggs 8-13; butt', pale buffj brown- 

 ish-butt', or butty brown, sparse- 

 ly spotted with dark brown (p. 

 141). 

 Eggs 6-12. pale dull buff, finely 

 dotted or sprinkled with brown- 

 ish - black and purplish - gray. 

 1.91 X 1.32 (pp. 141. 142). 



