488 THE BIRDS OF MANITOBA — THOMPSON. 



Prairie : Occasionally seen in spring and autumn, I am informed, but 

 as I never actually identified the bird myself I am not positive about 

 it (Nash). 



53. Botaurus lentiginosus. American Bittern. 



Common summer resident in all extensive marshes; apparently rather 

 common on Mouse River, at the boundary, in September (Coues). Duf- 

 ferin : Arrives between April 25 and 30 (Dawson). Morris : Often seen 

 April 29, 1887 (Christy). Winnepeg: Summer resident; abundant 

 (Hine). A specimen in Smithsonian Institution, from Nelson river (Blak- 

 iston). Ossowa : Breeds (Wagner). Oak Point: 1884, arrived Maj^ 15 

 (Small). Portage la Prairie : Common summer resident; first seen May 

 17, 1884; May 22, 1885; April 19, 1886; last seen October 16, 1884 

 (Nash). Abundant in all marshes throughout the country; shot June 

 11, 1881 (Macoun). South slope of Riding Mountain, on Little Saskat- 

 chewan, August 28, 1858; in the marshes, herons, cranes, and bitterns 

 were distributed in groups (Hind). Carberry : Common ; southern slope 

 of Riding Mountain, abundant; Portage la Prairie ; Sewell; FortEllice; 

 Rat Portage, 1886 (Thompson). Shell river 1885, first seen, one on 

 May 4, afterwards seen every day; is common all summer and breeds 

 here (Calcutt). Qu'Appelle: Common summer resident; breeds ; arrives 

 May 21 (Guernsey). Severn House (Murray). 



On May 23, 1884, at Sewell Plain, heard a bittern pumping in the 

 slough after dark; the sound has been very aptly likened to the sjilables 

 " pump-o-ga;" the first two notes are like the stroke of a pump, the last 

 is exactly like the swish and gurgle of water in a deep pipe. This sound 

 is not at all ventriloquial, as is that of the European Bittern according 

 to many accounts, and I had no difficulty in following and flushing the 

 bird, but it was too dark to shoot, as I could only see the dim form 

 against the^ sky when it rose after flying, apparently 50 yards, and pres- 

 ently he was heard again working his pump in the distance. 



On June 2, on the south slope of the Riding Mountain, I was led to a 

 bittern, after sundown, by its pumping; I watched it catching insects 

 until dark, and then shot it, and found in its stomach a most miscella- 

 neous collection of insects, etc. Same day, near the Fingerboard, I 

 traced a bittern by his notein theeveuing, and shot him; $ adult; stom- 

 ach contained crawfish, insects, a garter-snake, a mouse, and a meno- 

 branchus. 



June 3, at Rapid City Trail, south slope of Riding Mountain. The 

 bittern is one of the commonest of the large birds that are to be found 

 in this region. Its long brown form on flagging wing, with beak pointed 

 one way and legs another, is to be seen flying over nearly every exten- 

 sive slough of this region. Suddenly, in the midst of his flight, he may 

 be seen to dangle his legs, "reverse action" his wings, and drop into 

 t he marsh. There, for a moment, he stands, not deigning to notice the 

 blackbirds that are trying to terrify him into a retreat, his long neck 



