374 AMERICAN BITTERN. 



most of our visitors, have been aided on their passage by being able 

 to rest on the yards of vessels ; especially on those of steamers, the 

 square sails of which are seldom set, so that a bird might easily re- 

 main unobserved and undisturbed by day as well as by night, while 

 each twenty-four hours would find it some 300 miles further on its 

 way across. It could probably exist without food for far longer than 

 is necessary for such a transit ; moreover, its long slender feet would 

 enable it to alight on patches of sargasso and other strong floating 

 sea-weeds found in the Clulf Stream, and upon these it would also 

 find small fish, crustaceans, and other sustenance. 



As a straggler, an exhausted example of this species was captured 

 by dogs at Egedesminde in Greenland, in 1869 ; and in America its 

 range on the MacKenzie River extends even to the Arctic Ocean, 

 though the bird is probably rare so far north, and is not recorded 

 from Alaska. South of the 5Sth parallel in the Fur-countries, it is 

 found, as a breeding-species, down to Texas ; while on its autumnal 

 migration it is a regular and sometimes an abundant visitor to the 

 Bermudas, where it also occurs, though with less frequency, on its 

 passage northward in March. In winter it visits the West Indian 

 Islands and Guatemala. 



When situated on dry ground, the nest is a slight structure of 

 reeds and grass ; but in places liable to inundations it is sometimes 

 considerably elevated. The eggs, 4-7 in number, are equally obtuse 

 at either end, and are of a uniform brownish-olive colour : average 

 measurements 1-9 by i'45 in. This Bittern usually feeds on frogs, 

 lizards, and small mammals ; but as an instance of its omnivorous 

 habits, Mr. Hurdis, of Bermuda, mentions that the stomach of one 

 contained an eel six inches long, a mouse, a dragon-fly, a grass- 

 hopper, and a portion of a small golden carp. The note of the 

 male in the early part of the breeding-season is a deep choking 

 croak, resembling the sy\\ah\e?, _po?>ip-ai/-gor ; or like the noise made 

 by driving a stake in boggy soil, whence its common name of 

 " Stake-" or " Post-driver." Dr. Coues says that it has another 

 abrupt, explosive cry, something like quark or hauk, uttered 

 when the bird is surprised while feeding, or when its haunts are 

 invaded ; ordinarily, however, it is silent. 



This species resembles our Old World bird in general plumage, 

 but is smaller in size; its bill, legs and feet are more slender; 

 the feathers of the upper parts are more finely vermiculated ; 

 and the primaries are uuiforni leadenhrown. Length about 27 

 in.; wing 1 1 "5 in. The young have a ruddier tinge and coarser 

 mottlings. 



