THE BIOLOGICAL REVIEW. 87 



the supposition, that the species is increasing in numbers, or is 

 it because greater pains have been taken to search for them? 



The marshy location at Toronto, to which the birds resort, 

 and where all of the seven were taken, is only about half a mile 

 square, protected from the seas of Lake Ontario by a narrow 

 sand-bar a few yards in width, and is situated immediately 

 adjacent to the city of Toronto. 



A great deal of shooting is practised there at all seasons, so 

 that the bird, though evidently of retired habits, could scarcely 

 have chosen a more frequented piece of marsh. 



It seems natural to suppose that there exists in this marsh, 

 some peculiar attraction, since it is the only place where they 

 have been seen except in Florida. It may, therefore, be 

 interesting to know something regarding the chief character- 

 istics of its flora, and through the kind assistance of Dr. 

 Brodie, I am enabled to give the following notes, which will give 

 some idea of its nature. It is chiefly grown up with Typha 

 latifolia, Scirpus fluviatilis and Phragmites communis, which 

 abound in dense masses. 



Scirpus fluviatilis, while mixing with Typha to a great 

 extent, often crowds it out, leaving patches here and there 

 entirely free from it. 



Phragmites communis grows in the more open water, as well 

 as among the crowded Typha, and Scirpus validus abounds in 

 the more shallow open spaces. 



In still water, several species of Potamogeten abound, and 

 Lemna trisulca floats on the surface, covering most of it. 



There are a number of large patches of Nymphcea odorata, 

 and Nuphar advena is quite common. 



At present (November) the marsh is almost entirely dried 

 up. This year Porzana Carolina and Ardetta exilis were very 

 abundant. 



In Florida the habitat of Cory's Bittern as now known 

 extends over a swampy area, about forty by fifty miles in 

 extent. :;: 



* W. E. D. Scott, Auk IX., 1892, p. 214. 



