Ki':v TO 'iiii: wA'ii.u r.iUDs oi' ikokida. 



-47 



The imniaturc bird lias Uic liead featl\ered and the plumag-c i^rayish on the liead ami some- 

 times grayish while on the body. 



Length, 41 : Wing. 18.50: Tarsus, 8.20: ISill, 9.20. 



Rantres lhroiiL;houl Southern I'nitcd Stales, w aiuleriiiL!; occasionally a.s 

 far north as ]\'nnsyl\ ania and New York, and southward to Cuba, Jamaica, 

 and South America. This species is connuon in I^'iorida, where it ]-)reeds. 

 it builds a laro-c rou^'h nest of sticks, which is placed in a tree. The e_i;-<4-s 

 are usuallv three : thev are white, and covered with a chalky deposit. 



SuiJORDER HeRODII. 

 HiiRoxs, Egrets, liiTTiiRXs, irjc. 



Family ARDEID.E. Herons, BrrrERXS, Eif 



Subfamily BOTAURIN.E:. BLfTERXs. 



Genus BOTAURUS Hermann. 



Subgenus BOTAURUS. 



BOTAURUS LENTIQIN05U5 ( J/wAr- )• 



American Bittern. 



L'pper parts brown : wing coverts edged and mottled with tawny and buff and washed with 

 ashy : top of the head and nape slaty with black streak on sides of the upper neck : neck and 



