THE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY. 53 



ORDER HERODIONES: HERONS, 

 STORKS, IBISES. 



FAMILY ARDEID^ : HERONS, BITTERNS, ETC. 

 Genus BOTAURUS Hermann, 1783. 



Botatmis lentiginosus (Montague). American Bittern. 

 Ardea lentiginosa Montague, Om. J)ict. Snppl., 1813. 

 Botaurus lentiginosus Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool., XII, ii, 1819,592. 

 Botaurus minor BoiE, Isis, 1826, 970. < 

 Popular synonyms: Stake-dbivee. Thtjndee-pump. Boq-btjll. Post- 



DEIVEE. MiEE-DEUM. LoOK-UP. INDIAN HEN, etC. 



A common summer resident, arriving early in April and nest- 

 ing where the growth of rushes is very heavy, or in small reedy 

 ponds in the timber. It departs for its winter home further 

 south about the latter part of October or early in November. 



Its geographical range covers temperate North America and 

 it winters as far south as Cuba and Guatemala. 



Genus ARDETTA Gray, 1842. 



Ardetta exilis (Gmelin). Least Bittern, 



Ardea exilis Gmelin, S. N., I, ii, 1788, 645, No. 83. 



Ardetta exilis Gtjndi,., J. f. O., 1856, 345. 



Botaurus exilis Reichen., J. f. O., 1877, 244. 



Popular synonyms: Toetoise-sheli, Bitteen. Amebican Least 



Bitteen. Little Yellow Bitteen. Little Bitteen. Minute 



Bitteen. 



A common summer resident and may be found nesting in the 

 heavy cane of the marshes and sloughs in the vicinity of Hyde, 

 Wolf and Calumet lakes, Indiana. Its nest is a frail platform 

 placed in the upright caries at a height of about three feet above 

 the water. The Least' Bitterns arrive early in April and depart 

 for their winter home about the last of September. 



The range of this species includes the whole of North America 

 from the British Possessions southward, and in South America 

 into Brazil. 



Genus ARDEA Linnseus, 1758. 



Ardea herodias LinriEeus. Great Blue Heron. 



Ardea herodias LlNN^us, S. N., ed. 10, I, 1758, 143. 

 Popular synonyms : Blue Ceane. Big FLY-up-TnE-csEEK. Sandhili 

 Ceane. 



A not uncommon summer resident. Large colonies nest in 

 the Kankakee region, just south of our limits, the birds pre- 



