AMERICAN BITTERN. 



BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS {Montagu). 



Ardea lentiginosa, Montagu, Suppl. to Ornith. Diet. (1813). 

 Botaurus lentiginosus, Macg. iv. p. 417; Yarr. ed. 4, iv. 

 p. 213; Dresser, vi. p. 289. 



This bird has found its way across the Atlantic to our 

 Islands so frequently as to fully merit a place in the 

 British list as a bond fide traveller, although, as sug- 

 gested in the 4th edition of 'Yarrell,' it is of course 

 possible that some of its visits may have been assisted 

 and expedited by " spells " on the spars of the ocean 

 steamers. I do not, however, consider it probable that 

 this sort of assistance has been very frequent, though, 

 from the rarity of the American Bittern in the hands of 

 our English dealers in live birds, it would appear that 

 the bird is seldom imported; and the chances of escapes 

 of course thereby diminished. 



The range of this species is stated to extend nearly 

 over the whole continent of North America, from the 

 shores of the Arctic Ocean to Texas and Guatemala ; it 

 lias also been met with in Cuba and Jamaica. 



