1172 , REPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



FAMILY ARDEID^E. HERONS, BITTERNS, ETC. 



SUBFAMILY BOTAURIN^E. BITTERNS. 

 GENUS ARDETTA GRAY. 



29. (191.1). Ardetta neoxena CORY. 



Cory's Least Bittern. 



August 8, 1894. Manchester, Mich. A specimen of this rare species 

 was brought to Mr. L. Whitney Watkins by a neighbors boy. Mr. 

 Watkins at onoe wrote me of the peculiar dark Least Bittern that he 

 had received. I suspected its identity and requested that he send it 

 to me for examination. It had, however, been forwarded to Prof. W. 

 B. Barrows, Agr. Coll., Mich. He determined it to be Cory's Bittern. 

 It will be noted that six of those known have been taken in Florida 

 and the other three north of the latitude of the northern boundary 

 of Indiana. 



The bird may be reasonably expected to occur in Indiana, Its dark 

 color gives it the name, of "Black Bittern" in Florida, to distinguish 

 it from the ."Least Bittern," which is called "Brown Bittern." They 

 are about the same size. 



SUBFAMILY ARDEIN^E. HERONS AND EGRETS. 



GENUS ARDEA LISNJBUS. 

 Submenus ARDEA. 



30. (198). Ardea rufescens GMEL. 



Reddish Egret. 

 Illinois, summer visitor southward (Xelson, S. 111., p. 60). 



FAMILY RECURVIROSTRIDJE. AVOCETS AND STILTS. 



GENOS HIMANTOPUS BRISSON. 



31. (226). Himantopus mexicanus (MULL.). 



Black-necked Stilt. 



Illinois and Wisconsin, rare (Nelson, N. E. Ill, p. 124). Ridgway. 

 111. Orn., II., p. 76. Ohio, rare (Wheaton, p. 463); Michigan, rare 

 (Gibbs, p. 492). Cook, Mich., p. 57. 



