NATURAL HISTORY. 415 



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

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



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

 common about the marshes of the Potomac in early fall. 



159. Herodias er/retta, (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 ccerulea, (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 M'ay; departs late in Sep- 

 tember. Found chiefly in the Zizania aquaiica marshes. 



163. Botauriis lentiginosus, Steph. — Bittern. "Indian Hen." 

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

 winters here. 



164. Butorides virescens, (Linn.,) Bon. — Green Heron. "Fly-up- 

 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. ^gialitis (Oxyeckus) voci/erus, (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, &c. 



[j3^gial{tis semipahnaius 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 w^eek 

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



[Macrorhamjjhus griseus, though we have not detected it, is doubtless 

 an inhabitant of the District.] 



l3Iic7^opalama Idmantopus may very possibly be hereafter detected.] 



170. Actodroraas macidata, (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. Adodromas minutilla, (Vieill.,) Coues. — Least Sandpiper. 



