228 ZOOLOGY. 



flocks in April, and then dispersing in pairs over the interior prairies to build their nests, which 

 are placed among the tall fern on the highest and most open ground, where thej' can see the 

 approach of danger. They frequent, at this season, the mountains to the height of 6,000 feet 

 above the sea. The young are often raised from the nest by the Indians for food. — C. 



Family ARDEIDAE.— The Herons. 

 ARDEA HERODIAS, Linnaeus. 



Great Blue Heron, or Crane. 



Ardea herodias, Linn. Syet. Nat. I, 1766, 237, No. 15.— Wilson, Am. Orn, VIII, I8I4, 28; pi. Uv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, 

 No. 188.— NuTT. Man. II, 1834, 42.— Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 87 ; V,599; pl.211.— Ib. Syn. 

 1839.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 122; pi. 369.— Bp. Consp. II, 1855, 112.~Baird, Gen. Eep. 

 Birds, 18.58, 668. 



Large crested heron, Catesbv, Car. App. pi. x. 



Sp. Ch. — Lower third of tibia bare. Above bluish ash; edges of wing and the tibia rufons. Neck cinnamon brown. Head 

 black, with a white frontal patch. Body beneath black, broadly streaked on the belly with white. Crissum white. Middle line 

 of throat white, streaked with black and rufous. Length, 42 inches ; wing, 18. 50 ; tarsus about 6. 50 ; bill about 5. 50. 



Hub. — Throughout the entire territory of the United States ; West Indiei. 



This heron is quite abundant at Puget Sound, where it is called by the Nisqually Indians 

 "sbuck-ah," and likewise has applied to it the nickname of "tsah-pah," or "our grandfather," 

 probably owing to the grave dignity with which the creature struts about on the shores of its 

 favorite feeding grounds. The Indians above mentioned have an amusing tradition concerning 

 this bird, according to which it appears that he formerly was an Indian, who having quarrelled 

 with his wife, (the present Podiceps cornutus,) they were both transformed by a superior powei', 

 the man becoming a heron, the woman a dabchick. The latter was a terrible strumpet, and 

 seems to have been especially punished for her manifold sins by Dokweebottle, the Nisqually 

 Jupiter. — S. 



The great blue heron is abundant throughout the year near the coast, and near the mouth of 

 the Columbia I have seen flocks of two hundred in August, which had congregated to devour 

 the herring, common at that season. They build also in high trees near the same place. — C. 



BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS, (Montagu,) Stephens. 



Bittern ; Stake-driver. 



Ardea lentiginosa, Mostagc, Orn. Diet. Suppl. 1813. — Jenyns, Man. 191. — Add. Syn. 1839,262 — Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 



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

 Botaunu lentiginosus, Stlph, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XI, 1819, 596. — Bairp, Gen. Eep. Birds, 674. 

 Ardea (Botaunu) lentiginosa, Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 60. 

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



337. 

 Sotaurus minor, BonVp. List, 1838.— Ib. Consp. II, 1855, 136.— Gdndlach, Cab. Joum IV, 1856, 346. 



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 ; biU above, 2. 75. 

 iZai.- Entire continent of North America. 



Rather widely distributed. One specimen obtained in the Rocky mountains at Fort Owen, 



