KEY TO THE ^VATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA . 



247 



The immature bird has llie head feathered and the plumage grayisli on the head and some- 

 times grayish white on the body. 



Length, 41 : Wing, 18.50; Tarsus, 8.20: Bill, 9.20. 



Ranges throughout Southern United States, wandering occasionallv as 

 far north as Pennsylvania and New York, and southward to Cuba, Jamaica, 

 and South America. This species is common in Florida, where it breeds. 

 It builds a large rough nest of sticks, which is placed in a tree. The eggs 

 are usually three : the}' are white, and covered with a chalkv deposit. 



Suborder Herodii. 



Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, etc. 



Family ARDEID.E. Herons, Bitterns, etc. 



Subfamily BOTAURIN.F:. Bitterns. 



Genus BOTAURUS Hermann. 



Subgenus BOTAURUS. 



BOTAURUS LENTIQIN0SU5 {Mo;ifag.). 

 American Bittern. 



Upper 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 



