I A Chapman, The Standing of Ardetta neoxena. y a u n 



of June, 1890, two and a half miles above Fort Thompson, 

 Florida, in a small willow swamp on the borders of Lake Flint 

 \lege Flirt]. It was built of willow twigs and lined inside with 

 maiden cane leaves. It was in a low bush two feet and a half 

 above the surface of the water. There were four young birds, 

 about two-thirds grown, in the nest. I had one of the old birds 

 in my hand, which I think was the female. She was not inclined 

 to fight and would not leave the nest. The other old bird was 

 two or three feet from me and seemed a much larger bird. I did 

 not disturb them and when I let the old bird go she hopped back 

 on her nest as though she was accustomed to being handled." 



This comparison shows such striking differences between these 

 two birds, that to give further reasons for regarding them as 

 specifically distinct seems much like proving an axiom. 



Aside from the differences in color and pattern of coloration 

 and the manner in which the mature plumage is acquired, the 

 fact that the young of neoxena resemble the adults, and that no 

 example of exilis showing an approach to neoxena has ever been 

 recorded, would seem to give Cory's Bittern undisputed title to 

 full specific rank. 



While we may therefore reject the suggestion that neoxena is 

 a color-phase of exilis, and in fact leave exilis entirely out of the 

 question, the specimens of neoxena present certain characters 

 which demand investigation. Allowing for normal variation only 

 three of my ten specimens of neoxena are alike, while the remain- 

 ing seven show either melanistic or albinistic markings or both 

 combined. No. 167 {$ im., Mich.) has several white feathers on 

 the right tibia but is otherwise normal. The type (No. 2001, Fla.) 

 has two entirely white feathers on the right flank. No. 44,087 

 (Fla.) has the abdominal region and flanks wholly chestnut with- 

 out black. There are three pure white feathers on one side of the 

 belly and five on the other ; part of the anterior portion and the 

 entire inside of the right tibia are white. No. 7 1 ( $ ad., Toronto) 

 has conspicuous white patches on the abdomen, vent, and tibiae. 

 No. 44,088 (im., Fla.) presents the extreme of albinism; the 

 abdominal region, breast, and tibia; are almost wholly white, the 

 outer primary of the left wing is entirely white, and white feathers 

 appear on the bend of both wings and under wing-coverts. No, 



