1889. ] Scott, a Second Spectmen of Cory’s Bittern. Biv], 
A SECOND SPECIMEN OF CORY’S BITTERN 
(BOTAURUS NEOXENUS). 
BY OW. 2D SC OM dys 
Mr. J. F. MENGE of Fort Meyers, Florida, spent a portion of 
the month of July, 1889, in exploring parts of Lake Okeechobee 
and the region immediately south of that body of water. During 
this trip on three occasions he met with this little known species 
( Botaurus neoxenus), and though he had but poor facilities for pre- 
serving and taking care of birds, he secured one of the individuals 
in question, which has come into my possession through the kind- 
ness of my friend Mr. J. W. Atkins of Key West. This bird, 
No. 3237 of my catalogue, is apparently an adult male, and was 
taken on July 9, 188g, at a point some thirty miles south of Lake 
Okeechobee and ten miles east of a point known as Sam Jones 
Old Town. 
The region, from the account given by Mr. Menge, is very like 
that frequented by Botaurus exilis, being a large ‘saw grass’ on 
the edge of two large ponds, where the surface of the water is 
covered to a great extent with the large leaves of a kind of water- 
lily. The bird was first observed walking about on these leaves, 
and being disturbed, retreated to the ‘saw grass’ but presently, 
re-appearing, was secured. 
As this is the second known representative of this species in any 
collection a brief description of the individual seems warranted. 
The entire upper surface, sides of head and neck and face, lower 
tail-coverts, outer surface of wing, except the coverts, are deep 
greenish black, similar in shade to the back of an adult male Bo- 
taurus extlzs. Yhis color is also the general tone of the belly, 
sides, and flanks, though a few whitish and some chestnut feathers 
are mixed with the prevailing color. The lower surface of the neck 
and the throat are bright chestnut. The greater, median, and lesser 
wing-coverts are dark like the back at their bases, but shade into 
deep chestnut terminally. The inner surface of the wing-feathers is 
drab. The edge of the wings at the shoulder and reaching to the 
base of the first primary, is light chestnut. The general appear- 
ance of the bird is dark greenish black, and Mr. Menge in speak- 
ng of the birds well calls them ‘*Black Bitterns.” 
