ARDEA.] AVES GRALLATORES. 191 



and reedy situations. Breeds in such spots, constructing a nest of rushes 

 and other coarse plants. Lays four or five eggs. During the Spring the 

 male utters a singular bellowing note which may be heard to a con- 

 siderable distance. Feeds on small fish and reptiles, as well as on 

 aquatic worms and insects. 



179. A. lentiginosa, Mont. (American Bittern.) 

 Back and scapulars chocolate-brown glossed with purple, 

 the edges of the feathers paler : under parts ochre-yellow, 

 marked on the neck, breast, and belly, with broad chestnut 

 streaks. 



A. lentiginosa, Faun. Amer. Bor. vol. 11. p. 374. Freckled Heron, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. Supp. with fig. American Bittern, Selb. Illust. 

 vol. ii. p. 34. 



DIMENS. Entire length about twenty-three inches : length of the bill 

 (from the forehead) two inches nine lines : of the tarsus three inches nine 

 lines. MONT. 



DE SCRIPT. Crown of the head chocolate bro-wn, passing into dull 

 yellow at the nape, where the feathers are much elongated ; chin and 

 throat white, with a row of brown feathers down the middle ; from the 

 base of the lower mandible a black streak increasing on the upper part of 

 the neck on each side ; cheeks yellowish, with an obscure dusky line at 

 the corner of the eye ; the feathers on the neck long and broad, with their 

 webs partly unconnected; those in front pale dull yellow with broad 

 chestnut streaks ; hind neck bare ; the feathers on the breast long, of a 

 fine chocolate brown, glossed with purple, and edged with dulljellow; 

 belly and sides the same, but not so bright, the brown marks becoming 

 speckled ; vent and under tail-coverts yellowish white : back and scapu- 

 lars chocolate-brown, minutely speckled and glossed with purple, the 

 edges of the feathers paler : wing-coverts dull yellow, darkest in the 

 middle of each feather, the margins prettily speckled ; first and second 

 order of quills, their greater coverts, and the spurious wing, dusky lead- 

 colour, with a tinge of cinereous ; primaries very slightly tipped with 

 brown ; secondaries and the greater coverts tipped more deeply with the 

 same, and prettily speckled on the light part : the closed wings not reach- 

 ing to the end of the tail : upper mandible dusky above, greenish yellow 

 at the sides ; lower mandible greenish yellow : legs greenish. MONT. 

 (Egg.) Cinereous green. Faun. Am. Bor. 



A single individual of this species, which is common in North America, 

 was shot by Mr Cunningham, in the parish of Piddletown, in Dorsetshire, 

 in the Autumn of 1804. This specimen was procured by Montagu, and, 

 with the rest of his collection, is now in the British Museum. No other 

 has occurred since in this country. Has a loud booming note similar to 

 that of the last species. Said to frequent marshes and willow thickets, 

 and to lay four eggs. 



(3. NYCTICORAX, Steph.) 



180. A. Nycticorax, Linn. (Common Night-Heron.) 

 Crown, back, and scapulars, black, glossed with green : 

 under parts white. 



