I 410 ] 



38. Stellaris, 239. 21. Varietas. The Bittern, Br. 

 Zool. Edw. 136. Faun. Am. Sept. pag. 14"*. 



Severn River, N 64. 



At first sight, I thought the specimen sent from 

 Hudson's Bay, was a young bird ; but upon 

 nearer examination and comparing it with 

 Mr. Edwards's account and figure, I take it 

 to be a variety of the common bittern pe- 

 culiar to North America ; it is smaller, but 

 upon the whole very much resembles our 

 bittern. Mr. Edwards's measurements and 

 drawings correspond very well with the speci- 

 men. 



This bird appears at Severn river the latter end 

 of May, lives chiefly among the swamps and 

 willows, where it builds its nest, and lays 

 only two eggs at a time ; it is very indolent, 

 and, when roused, removes only to a short 

 distance. 



18. SCOLOPAX, f 39. Totanus. 245. 12. Spotted 

 Woodcock. ( Woodcock. Faun. Am. Sept. 14. 



Albany Fort, N 16. 



This bird is called a yellow leg at Albany fort, 

 from the bright yellow colour of the legs, 

 especially in old birds ; a circumstance, in 

 which it varies from the descriptions of Lin- 

 neus and Brisson, probably because they de- 



* In the Faunula Americae Septentrionalis, p. 14. the synonym 

 of Ardea Hudsonias, Linn, has by mistake been annexed to the 

 bittern, and likewise pi. 135 of Edwards has been quoted in- 

 stead of plate 136. They are two very different birds. 



scribed 



( 30) 



