TAVERNER AND SWALES, ON BIRDS OF POINT PELEE. 83 



mark, as not being absolutely identified. It was taken, according to 

 the owner, by a Mr. Dan Goyeau near the base of the Point in Sep- 

 tember, 1904. See Auk XXIV 139-40. 



3G. *Butorides virescens, Green Heron. 



The resident hunters call this bird the "Blue Bittern" and seem to 

 be well acquainted with it. It cannot be a very common species or 

 we would have met with it oftener .than we have. A great part of 

 the west side of the marsh is well covered with suitable bushes that 

 would form admirable places for them. We have met individuals 

 at various times of the spring and fall and secured one specimen 

 August 30, 1907. 



37. *Nycticorax nycticorax nwvius, Black-crowned Night Heron. 



Mr. Saunders reports that June 3, 1884, he saw "at 'least one on the 

 marsh." On the night of Sept. 15, 1906, we heard the hoarse croaks 

 of a bird flying out the Point along the shore that we were certain 

 proceeded from an individual of this species. But it was not until 

 Sept. 2, 1907, that we were able to remove the Night Heron from the 

 hypothetical list when Bert Gardner brought one in that he had killed 

 on the marsh while duck shooting. It was a juvenile bird and is 

 now in the collection of Mr. Taverner. Gardner says that he saw at 

 least a dozen of them. The next day he looked for them again, but 

 was able to find but one, which he was unable to secure. 



HYPOTHETICAL. 



Some of the old residents tell us of "large white cranes" seen near 

 the base of the Point years ago "as tall as a man." Also of cranes 

 feeding in flocks on plowed fields at an equally early and vague date. 

 These descriptions point very closely to the Whooping and Sandhill 

 Cranes, (Int.* (inicricnna and G. mexicana. The evidence, however, is 

 not sufficient to admit them formally to the list. 



38. Rallus eleyans, King Rail. 



Observed by Saunders June G, 1884, and by Klugh and Taverner 

 Sept. 5, 1905. The "Big Virginia Rails" spoken of by the local shoot- 

 ers must, from their description, belong to this species ; if so they 

 are much more common than the few above records would lead 

 one to suppose. In fact there is no reason to suppose them less com- 

 mon here than on the neighboring St. Clair Flats, where they are 

 common breeders. Gardner reports one in the marsh, apparently in 

 good condition, on Nov. 30 and Dec. 31, 1906. 



39. Hnllnx ririiinianu*. Virginia Rail. 



Observed May 21, 1900, and May 30 and 31, 1907. Our only fall 

 date is furnished by Keays, who noted two Sept. !'.. T.)O1. Within our 

 sphere of operations it lias IMMMI our experience that the Virginia 

 Rail is nothing like as common as the Sora. It is undoubtedly a reg- 



