20 



THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



(82) ISO. Olor columbianus. 

 Whistling Swan. ('588.) 



Pure white. Bill black, with an orange spot in 

 front of eye- Legs black. Length 55 inches. 



Of rather rare occurrance during the 

 migrations, but captured occasionly 

 within our limits. Breeds iu the arctic 

 regions, nesting on the marshes close to 

 the water. Nest made of grasses, weeds 

 and moss. Eggs two fco five, dull brown- 

 ish white, and about 2% x 4% inches. 



(83) 184. Guara alba. 

 White Ibis. (501,) 



Head bare to the eyes. Plumage pure white. 

 Tips of wings black, glossed with green. Length 

 25 inches. 



A rare straggler from the south. In 

 s'outhern Georgia, where this species is 

 common I have always found them shy 

 and difficult birds to secure. I never 

 found them breeding, but a few of them 

 was almost invariably found living in the 

 vicinity of the heronries of the Snowy, 

 Louisiana and Little Blue Herons, and 

 keeping them company as they circled 

 around overhead while their homes were 

 being investigated. Breeds on the Gulf 

 coast of Florida and southward, nesting 

 in communities, among the reedy islands 

 along the Coast. Nest made of reeds. 

 Eggs three to five pale grayish blue 

 marked with different shades of brown, 

 and about 2% x iy 2 inches. 



(84) 1S6. Plegadis a,utumnalis. 

 Glossy Ibis. (503.) 



Crown and^back, metal 1 c green. Best of plu- 

 mage chestnut-brown. Bill blackish. Length 20V4 

 inches . 



A rare straggler from south. Has 

 been taken several times iu New England. 

 Nests among reeds, in swampy places. 

 Eggs two or three, greenish blue, and 2 

 x 1% inches. 



(85) 188. Tantalus loculator. 

 Wood Ibis. (500.) 



Head and neck bare of feathers. Plumage 

 white. Primaries and tail glossy greenish black. 

 Length 45 inches 



A rare straggler from south. Breeds 

 in dense cypress swamps in the interior 

 of Florida, in the tallest trees. Nest 

 made of sticks and twigs lined with moss. 

 Eggs two or three in number, the shells 

 covered with a whitish chalky deposit, 

 sometimes spotted with pale brown, and 

 about 2% xj.% inches. 



(86) 100. Botaurus lentiginosus. 

 American Bittern. (497.) 



Above mottled with dark brown yellowish, and 

 ashy on wings. Beneath streaked with brown 

 yellowish and whitish on the breast. Throat 

 white, with a central brownish line. A black 

 patch on each side of neck. Length 27 inches. 



At the east end a rather uncommon 

 migrant- Most common in the autumn. 

 Frequents ponds which are grown full of 

 rushes, and retired places along creeks. 

 When wounded and approached they 

 erect the feathers of the neck and head, 

 which causes them to look quite formid- 

 able. "One taken in December 1882" 

 (Helme). Breeds inland and northward, 

 nesting on the ground in thick marshes, 

 making its nest of grasses and other- 

 vegetable matter. Lays four or five eggs, 

 of a dark drab color, and about 2x1% 

 inches. 



(87) 191. Botaurus exilis. 

 Least Bittern. (498.) 



Crown ahd back greenish black. Back of neck, 

 sides of head and parts of wings bright reddish 

 brown. Sides of neck and large patch on wing 

 brownish yellow. Beneath brownish white. 

 Length 13 inches. 



A r are summer visitor, of very retiring 

 habits, and not apt to be seen unless 

 diligently searched for, in overgrown 

 marshes and swampy open tracts. Mr. 

 Knoess has found it breeding in the vicini- 

 ty of Riverhead, and it probably breeds 



