BIRDS MET WITH BY THE WILDFOWLER 325 
AMERICAN BITTERN 
Botaurus lentiginosus (Montagu) 
This bird is a rare abnormal spring and autumn migrant to 
the British Islands and inhabits the Nearctic region but not 
the extreme north. The first specimen, curiously enough, was 
killed in Dorset, although it is a purely American species. 
It is similar in general coloration of plumage to the 
Common Bittern, but may be distinguished by its smaller 
size, darker coloration, and uniformly brown primaries. The 
bill, legs, and feet are also more slender than those of Botaurus 
stellarts. The female resembles the male, but is less in size. 
The young show more rufous in the coloration. 
COMMON HERON 
Ardea cinerea (Linneus) 
The Common Heron is a resident species in the British 
Islands, migrating locally in winter. It also inhabits most 
parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, with the exception of the 
extreme north of the two former continents. 
The adult male has the upper parts ashy slate colour, 
under parts white, boldly marked with elongated spots of 
black. The head is furnished with an occipital crest. The 
feathers of the back and breast are elongated, and form fine 
pendant plumes. The female is similar to the male. Im- 
matures are dull in plumage, and have a short head crest. 
Length 32-37 in. 
STONE-CURLEW 
CEdicnemus crepitans (Temminck) 
The Stone-Curlew is a summer visitor to this country. It 
may therefore be called an almost local’ species, commonest 
perhaps in Norfolk and Suffolk; it is found on the downs 
