596 
FRECKLED BITTERN. 
(Botaurus lentiginosus.) 
Bo. subcristatus vanegatuSt stiprajusco-purpureus, sultus pallide 
rujb-purpureiis , collo antice dilute Jlavo niQCulis longitudinalibus 
spadiceis notate, gidd alba, vertice Jiisco. 
Slightly crested variegated Bittern, above of a purple-brown ; 
beneath pale reddish purple j the fore-part of the neck dull 
yellow, longitudinally spotted with chesiiut j the throat white} 
the top of the head brown. 
Ardea lentiginosa. Mont. Orn, Diet. Sup. — Leach. Cat. Brit. 
Mus.p. 33. 
Le Butor de la Baye d’Hudson. Buff. Ois. 7- ^30. ? 
American Bittern. Wills. Amer. Orn. 6. 35. Iw.ff. 3. ? 
The Freckled Heron of Montagu, which is de- 
posited in the British Museum, does not appear 
to be referrible to any of the described species, 
unless it be the young of some of the obscure 
individuals included in this genus. I shall de- 
scribe it in Montagu’s own words. “ The length 
is about twenty-three inches : beak two inches 
and three quarters long, to the feathers on the 
forehead ; rather slender, and both mandibles 
equally turned to form the point ; the upper part 
of the superior mandible dusky ; sides and lower 
mandible greenish yellow : the head is very small ; 
the crown is chocolate-brown, shaded to a dull 
yellow at the nape, where the feathers are much 
elongated : the chin and throat white, with a row 
of brown feathers down the middle : at the base of 
