NATURAL HISTORY. 415 



157. Grus canadensis, (Linn.,) Temm. — Sand-bill Crane. Exceed- 

 ingly rare; perhaps only accidental. (Specimen obtained.) 



158. Garzefki candidissima, (Jacq.,) Bon. — Snowy Heron. Not un- 

 common about the marshes of the Potomac in early fall. 



159. Herodias egretta, (Gm.,) Gray. — White Egret. Occasionally 

 seen along the river in the late summer and early fall months. 



160. Ardea herodias, Linn. — Great Blue Heron. '-Blue Crane." 

 Found at intervals during the summer and early autumn along the 

 marshes bordering the river. 



161. Florida cmridea, (Linn.,) Bd. — Little Blue Heron. Rare, per- 

 haps only accidental, towards the end of summer. (Specimen ob- 

 tained.) 



162. Ardetta exilis, (Gm.,) Gray. — Least Bittern. Summer resi- 

 dent; rather uncommon. Arrives early in May; departs late in Sep- 

 tember. Found chiefly in the Zizania aquatica marshes. 



163. Botaurus lentigmosus, Stepli. — Bittern. "Indian Hen." 

 "Sage Hen." Resident all the year. Common. Only heron that 

 winters here. 



164. Butorides vircscens, (Linn.,) Bon. — Green Heron. "Flyup- 

 the-creek." Summer resident. Most abundant of the herons. Ar- 

 rives 1st of May; remains until middle of September. Numerous 

 about Rock creek and the marshes and creeks of the Potomac. 



165. Nyctiardea gardeni, (Gm.,) Bd. — Night Heron. Rare; seen 

 occasionally during the latter part of summer. 



166. Charadrius virginicus, Borck. — Golden Plover. "Bull-head 

 Plover." Spring and autumn visitant. Passes quickly through in 

 early spring; is more numerous in autumn, during latter part of Octo- 

 ber and whole of November, about fields, ploughed land, <fec. 



167. u^gialitis (Oxyeclms) vociferus, (Linn.,) Cass. — Killdeer Plover. 

 "Killdee." Resident all the year, or nearly so. Most numerous 

 early in spring and late in autumn; generally seen in flocks, on 

 meadows, commons, ploughed lands, <fcc. 



[j^gialitis semipalmcdus is undoubtedly an inhabitant of the Dis- 

 trict.] 



168. Philohela minor, (Gm.,) Gray. — Woodcock. Resident all the 

 year. Common. Frequent chiefly "Woodcock brakes'' and moist 

 cornfields; and in early spring low woods and thickets. 



169. Gallinago ivilsonii, (Temm.,) Bon. — Wilson's Snipe. "Eng- 

 lish" or "Jack" Snipe. Spring and autumn visitants. Abundant. 

 Pass through early in the spring and return in the fall the first week 

 in September, and remain about two weeks. In flocks in the fall. 



\_Macrorhamphus griseus, though we have not detected it, is doubtless 

 an inhabitant of the District.] 



yMicropalama himantopus may very possibly be hereafter detected.] 



170. Actodromas maculata, (Vieill.,) Cass. — Pectoral Sandpiper. 

 " Grass Snipe." Spring and autumn visitant. Rarely seen in spring. 

 Not uncommon in autumn from September 25 to November. Low, 

 moist, grassy meadows, boggy commons, &c. Seen singly as often 

 as in flocks. 



171. Actodromas minutUla, (Vieill.,) Coues. — Least Sandpiper. 



