116 MARSH AND SWAMP BIRDS. 



No. 126. AMERICAN BITTERN. 



Order: Herodiones, Genus: Botaurus. 



Family: Ardeidae. Species: B. lentiginosus. 



Distribution: 



A summer resident of New England. 



Date of Arrival: 



Middle of April. 



Date of Departure: 

 November. 



General Plumage: 



Upper parts brown, buff and grayish, head slaty ; under 

 parts cream buff, streaked with brownish and grayish ; sides 

 of neck marked with a sliining black streak. Immature 

 deeper buff'. Bill yellowish, edge black, feet and legs yel- 

 lowish. Length about 28.00. 



Song and Other Notes: 



A loud weird ' ' booming ' ' sound . 



Haunts: 



Meadows, marshes and swampy land. 



