674 



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



The female diflers in having the green of the liead .uid back replaced by 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. eryihromelas,) according to Bonaparte, has the back 

 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. 



lAst of specimens. 



Catal. No. Sex. 



1546 

 1547 

 1099 

 9485 

 9484 

 9486 



O 



Locality. 



When collected. 



Carlisle, Fa j May 18,1844. 



....do 1 do 



Washington, D. C : June, 1843. 



Texas : 



Mimbres to Kio Grande ; 



Sacramento valley ' 



Whence obtained. 



S. F. Baird. 

 do. 



do 



Capt. Pope 



Dr. Henry 



Lieut. Williamson . 



Length. Stretch 

 of wings. 



13.56 

 13.75 



17.64 

 17.75 



Wing 



4.88 



4.88 



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, gonys 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-driver. 



At dea stellaris, Var. Forster, Pliil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 410. 



Jirdea stellaris, Var. i3, Botauriis freli-lmdsonis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat I, 1788, 635. 



Ardea Untiginosa, Montagu, Dm. Diet. Suppl. 1813.— Jentns, Man. 191.— Add. Syn. 1839, 2G3.— Ib. Birds Amer. 



VI, 1843, 94 ; pi. 365.— Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 374. 

 Botaurus lentiginosxts, Steph, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XI, 1819, 596. 

 Jirdea (Botaurus) lentiginosa, Nctt. Man. II, 1834, 60. 

 Butor lentiginosus, Jardine, Br. Birds, III, 147. 

 Ardea minor, Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 35 ; pi. Ixv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, 186.- Add. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 296 ; 



pi. 337. 

 Bolaurus minor, Bonap. List, 1838. — Ib. Consp. II, 1855, 136. — Gundlach, Cab. Journ. IV, 1856, 346. 

 Ardea mokoho, Vieillot, Diet. — Wagler, Syst. Av. Ardea, No. 29. 



Sp. Ch. — 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, 3.60 ; bill above, 2.75. 

 Ilab. — Entire continent of North America. 



Bill short, scarcely longer than the head, Gonys 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 



