BITTERNS, ETC.—Family Ardeide 
AMERICAN BITTERN 
190. Botaurus lentiginosus. 28 in. 
Much variegated with brown and _ yellowish-brown; 
adults with a long, broad, black stripe on either side 
of the white throat; eye yellow; legs and base of bill 
ereenish-yellow. Bitterns have a great many local 
names, most of which refer to the peculiar pumping 
noise that the male makes during the mating season. 
Perhaps the most common of these is ‘ Stake-driver.” 
Bitterns are found in bogs or marshes; they remain 
concealed by the tall grass until any intruder is very 
near, before they take flight. 
Notes.—A squawk of alarm: song a hollow “ punk- 
er-lunk.” 
Nest.—A erass-lined hollow in tufts of grass or turf, 
in the middle of bogs or marshes. 3 or 4 plain brownish 
eggs, measuring 1.95x 1.50. But one or two pairs nest 
in a locality; May, June. 
Range.—Breeds in the northern half of the United 
States and Southern Canada; winters in southern half 
of the United States. 
