ARDEID^ — TIIK TIEROXS — BOTAURUS. 67 



than the middle toe) ; the tibiae almost completely feathered, and the claws very long and Init 

 slightly curved. Tail, of ten short, soft feathers, slightly rounded or nearly even. 



Bill gradually tapering from the base to the point, the upper outline more convex than the 

 lower, the gonys very slightly convex and gently ascending, tlie lower edge of the maxiUary rami 

 perfectly straight ; mental aijex extending Ibruurd abmit half way from the centre of tlie eye to 

 the point of the bill, and slightly in advance of the anterior end of the nostiil ; malar apex falling 

 far short of that of the frontal feathers. Toes verj- long, the middle one considerably exceeding 

 the bill and almost equalling the tarsus ; inner toe decidedly longer than the outer ; hallux about 

 half the middle toe ; claws very long (that of the hallux nearly eiiual to its digit), and but 

 slightly curved ; bare portion of the tibia shorter than the hallux. Tarsi with large regular 

 scutelhe in front. 



Only t\\o American species are known, l.iotli very distinct. They may be distinguished by the 

 following ])oints of difference : — 



B. lentigiuosus. Nape and sides of the neck plain ochraceous, or only minutely freckled ; 

 V ing-coverts minutely speckled with different shades of ochraceous or rusty. A blackish 

 or dull grayish stripe on the side of the neck. Lower pai-ts distinctly striped. Wing, 

 9.80-12.00; cidmen, 2..50-3.20 ; depth of bill through nostril, .50-.65 ; tarsus, 3.10- 

 3.85 ; middle toe, 2.90-3.60, Hab. — North America ; south to Guatemala, Cuba, and 

 Jamaica ; Bermudas ; occasional in British Islands. 



B. pinnatus.' Nape and sides of neck transversely rayed or barred with blackish ; wing- 

 cuverts coarsely variegated, in irregular, somewhat " herring-bone" pattern with blackish. 

 No black or grayish stripe on side of neck. Lower parts nearly unvariegated. Wing, 

 10.10 ; culmen, 3.25 ; depth of bill through nostril, .70 ; tarsus, 3.75 ; middle toe, 3.75. 

 Hab. — Tropical America, north to Nicaragua. 



Botaunis lentiginosus. 



THE AMERICAN BITTERN. 



Ardecc stellaris canadensis, Edwards, Nat. Hist. pi. 136. 



Le Balm- (Ic la Baye dc Hudsmi, Edwauds, 1. c. 



Botaurus Frcti-Hudsonis, Bniss. Orn. V. 1760, 450, pi. 37, fig. 1. 



Ardca sldlaris, Vavietas, FoKsr. Philos. Trans. LXII. 1772, 410, no. 38 (Severn R.). 



Bittern, Var. A., Lath. .Syiiop. III. 1785, 58. 



Ardca stellaris, B., Lath. lud. Orn. II. 1790, 680, no. 18 B. (ex Edwards, pi. 136). 



Ardca mugitans, Baktr. Travels, 1792, . 



Botaurus mugilaiis, CouES, Check List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 666. 



Ardca lentiginosa, Montague, Oi-n. Diet. Suppl. 1813. —Sw. k Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 374.— 



NUTT. Man. II. 1834, 60. — Add. Syncp. 1839, 263 ; Birds Am. VI. 1843, 94, pi. 365. 

 Botaurus lerUigiHOsus, Stephi;n.s, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII. 1819, 596. — Baikd, Birds N. Am. 1858, 



674 ; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 492. — RiciciiEXOW, J. f. 0. 1877, 248. — Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. 



B. 1881, no. 497. 

 Ardca hudwnias, Mekrem, Ersch. Grub. Ency. V. 1820, 175. 

 Ardea minor, WiLS. Am. Orn. Vill. 1814, 35, pi. 65, fig. 3. 

 Botaurus minor, BoiK, Lsis, 1826, 979. — CouES, Key, 1872, 269 ; Check List, 1873, no. 460 ; Bird.s 



N. W. 1874, 523. 

 Buior americanus. Swains. Classif. B. II. 1837, 354- 

 Ardca mckoko, Vieili,. Xouv. Diet. XIV. 1817, 440. 

 Botaurus ad-spersus, " Cab.," Box.ir. Consp. II. 1857, 156. 



' Botaurus pinnatus, Licht. 



Ardca pinnata, "Licht.," Wage. lsis, 1829, 663. 

 Botaurus pinnntus. Gray, Gen. B. III. 557. 

 Ardea brn.nHn)si.% Max. Hi-itr. 1832, 642. 



