650 BEPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



Begular migrant; tolerably common; summer resident in suitable 

 localities, especially in the northern part of the State, where, in some 

 places, it breeds commonly. In mild winters it sometimes remains 

 among the ponds and swamps of the lower Wabash Valley. 



There the last late migrants find their way in November, and Mr. 

 E. J. Chansler has reported them in Knox County through December 

 (1883), and in January. 



Head of American Bittern. Natural size. 



The Bittern is much more common during migrations some years 

 than others. To the unobserving, even in the vicinity 'of its favorite 

 haunts, it seems to be of unusual occurrence, while throughout the 

 hilly and rolling land of southern Indiana, and the better drained 

 middle portion of the State, where it only occurs during migrations, 

 the occasional one seen tells to most persons no story of the unseen 

 multitude that has passed over to or from their reedy summer homes. 

 To them it is a rare and curious bird. 



Some years the migrations begin in March. The year 1893 was the 

 earliest for Bittern movements in twenty years observation. Prof. W. 

 S. Blatchley found it at Terre Haute March. 22, and the first arrived 

 at Greensburg March 23 (Shannon). 



In 1885 the first was seen at Brookville April 3, and in 1888 at Vin- 

 cennes April 3 (Balmer). While it occasionally reaches the vicinity of 

 Chicago by April 10 (Parker), its record at Petersburg, Mich., April 7, 

 1886 (Trombley) is the earliest within the district noted at that lati- 

 tude. Usually, however, it is found throughout southern Indiana be- 

 tween April 5 and 25, though sometimes one is to be seen early in May, 

 and in the northern part of the State April 15 to May 10. 



They nest on the ground in marshes, the nests being sometimes sur- 

 rounded by or floating in water. It does not associate with other 

 Herons, and never breeds in colonies. 



