246 . NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



ciovis; wings very large and broad; tail short, of 10 feathers in bitterns, and 

 12 in the true herons; plumage very loose; powder -down tracts two pairs 

 in bitterns, three pairs in herons. There is great seasonal change in plumage 

 among the true herons, most of them developing dorsal, pectoral and 

 nuchal plumes in the breeding season, the dorsal train reaching a marvelous 

 development in the egrets. Some species are dichromatic. The voice 

 is rough and croaking. The female is somewhat smaller than the male, 

 and there is considerable individual variation in size, as well as in the 

 color of the bill and legs. One leg is almost always larger than the other, 

 probably from the habit of standing largely on one foot. Herons nest in 

 trees on flat bulky nests constructed of sticks. The eggs are mostly from 

 three to seven in number, oval in shape, usually of a pale bluish color. 

 Young are bom naked and are fed in the nest by their parents like all 

 members of the order. Bitterns rarely perch on trees, and build their 

 broad nest made of reeds or rushes on or near the ground. The eggs are 

 light greenish white or brownish in color. 



Botaurus lentiginosus (Montagu) 



American Bittern 



Plate 23 



Ardea lentiginosa Montagu. Orn. Diet. Sup. 1813 

 Ardea minor DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 226, fig. 189 

 Botaurus lentiginosus A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 190 



botaurus, new Lat., a bittern; lentigino' sus , Lat., freckled 



Description. Upper parts brown, profusely mottled and freckled 

 with buffy and ocherous; neck and under parts tawny white or ochery, 

 each feather with a brown dark edged stripe; the throat line white with 

 brownish streaks; a velvet black streak on each side of neck; crown and tail 

 brown ; a buflfy stripe over the eye ; quill feathers greenish black, washed with 

 glaucous and tipped with brown ; bill pale yellowish, brownish black on top 

 and tip; legs greenish yellow; iris yellow. 



Dimensions. This species varies greatly in dimensions. "Length 23- 

 34 inches; extent 32-45; wing 9.5-13; bill 3; tarsus 3.5"; middle toe and 

 claw about 3.5, the claw 1-1.12. The female is the smaller. 



Distribution. This bird undoubtedly occurs, and probably breeds, 

 in every county in this State. It is a fairly common summer resident on 



