10 BIRDS OF KANSAS. 



20th of May. Nest on the ground in low marshy places, built upon hummocks 

 in the thickly-growing water grasses, or upon the tops of old broken-down rushes, 

 quite bulky, composed of small sticks, weeds and grasses, or of rushes bitten off 

 about fifteen inches in length and loosely woven together. Eggs, said to be 

 three to six, (I have never found over four in a nest); 2.00x1.48; brownish drab, 

 one set olive drab; in form oval to elliptical. 



SUBGENUS ARDETTA GRAY. 



B. 491. R, 498. C. 667. G. 232. U. 191. 



52. Botaurus exilis (GMEL.). Least Bittern. Summer resident; rare; in migra- 

 tion common. Arrive about the first of May. Begin laying the last of May. 

 Nest in rushes and a coarse, tall cane like water grass a platform about eigh- 

 teen inches from the ground, or water, made of the stems and leaves woven in 

 and around the standing growing stalks. Eggs, usually four; 1.25x.98; with a 

 faint greenish-blue tinge; in form rounded oval. 



SUBFAMILY ARDEINv^E. HEEONS AND EGRETS. 



GENUS ARDEA LINN. 



SUBGENUS ARDEA. 



B. 487. R. 487. C. 655. G. 224. U. 194. 



53. Ardea herodias LINN. Great Blue Heron. Summer resident; rare; in migra- 

 tion common. Arrive early in March. Begin laying the last of March. Nest in 

 high trees, along the streams; in localities destitute of trees, upon bushes and 

 upon the ground. A flat, bulky structure of sticks, lined sparingly with grasses. 

 Eggs, 2.63x1.82; pale, greenish blue; rather elliptical in form. 



SUBGENUS HERODIAS BOIE. 



B. 486, 486a. R. 489. C. 658. G. 225. U. 196. 



54. Ardea egretta GMEL. American Egret. Summer visitant; not uncommon. 

 Arrive from the south in July and August, return in September. 



SUBGENUS GARZETTA KAUP. 



B. 485. R. 490. C. 659. G. 226. U. 197. 



55. Ardea candidissima GMEL. Snowy Heron. Summer visitant; not uncom- 

 mon. Arrive from the south in July and August, return in September. 



SUBGENUS FLORIDA BAIRD. 



B. 490. R. 493. C. 662. G. 227. U. 200. 



56. Ardea ccerulea LINN. Little Blue Heron. Summer visitant; rare. Arrive 

 from the south in July and August, return in September. 



SUBGENUS BUTORIDES BLYTH. 



B. 493. R. 494. C. 663. G. 228. U. 201. 



57. Ardea virescens LINN. Green Heron. Summer resident; abundant. Arrive 

 about the middle of April. Begin laying about the first of May. Nest placed 



