V ° I i906' in ] Fleming, Birds of Toronto, Ontario. 447 



62. Ardetta exilis. Least Bittern. — Common summer resident 

 from early in May to the middle of September; latest record, November 

 28, 1894; breeds (June 28, 1894). 



63. Ardetta neoxena. Cory's Least Bittern. — Sixteen of this 

 interesting bittern have been taken at Toronto (about two-thirds of the 

 known specimens), between May 18, 1890, and September 8, 1899. These 

 dates are also the earliest and latest. The young have been taken from 

 August 3 to 17. All the birds have been taken in a comparatively small 

 extent of marsh in Ashbridge's Bay, and those who have taken them agree 

 that Cory's Bittern is much more easily approached than the Least Bittern, 

 though more difficult to distinguish in the marsh owing to its dark color. 

 All, or nearly all, exhibit albinism in a slight degree, and in the case of 

 an adult male taken August 7, 1899, melanism is also present. A nest 

 was taken June 15, 1898. l For a list of Toronto records see Auk, XIII, 

 1896, 11, and XIX, 1902, 77. 



64. Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. — Common migrant, 

 March 19 to April 7. and probably later; a young bird was taken July 24, 

 1891, but they usually commence to return a week later (August 1, 1897). 

 They are common through August, and a few remain till late in November 

 (November 17. 1901). Earliest record February 1, 1891 (Mr. J. H. Ames). 



65. Herodias egretta. American Egret. — A specimen in my collection 

 taken at Port Union (17 miles east of Toronto) May 24, 1895; this is the 

 only definite record, but white herons have been reported from various 

 points on the lake that seem to be of this species. Dr. Wm. Brodie says 

 a pair bred regularly many years ago (about 1870) at Port Union and sev- 

 eral were shot. 



66. Butorides virescens. Green Heron. — Regular migrant, not 

 common, April 30 to May 24; they reappear in June (June 25, 1904), 

 and from August 7 to September 17. 



67. Nycticorax nycticorax nsevius. Black-crowned Night Heron. 

 — Regular migrant, rather rare in spring, May 24 to June 14; young birds 

 August 8 to 27. In 1900 Mr. J. Hughes Samuel recorded Night Herons 

 from August 1 to October 12. 



68. Nyctanassa violacea. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. — A 

 young bird taken August 15, 1898, by Mr. John Maughan, is in the Provin- 

 cial Museum. 2 



68. Grus mexicana. Sandhill Crane. — A pair taken many years 

 ago at Toronto are in the collection of Mr. Maughan. 



69. Rallus elegans. King Rail. — Migrant, probably accidental; 

 one was taken in September, 1903, and there are two other local records. 



70. Rallus virginianus. Virginia Rail. — Summer resident; arrives 

 late in April and is common in May; young birds from July 7 to August 27. 

 A few remain till October. Breeds (July 6, 1891). 



i Auk, XVIII, 106. 



2 Auk, XXIII, 1906, 220. 



