674 U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY GENERAL REPORT. 
The female differs in having the green of the head and back replaced by purplish chestnut ; 
the brownish yellow tints more hoary ; the feathers of the throat with a narrow central dusky 
streak. 
An. allied species in South America, (A. erythromelas ,) according to Bonaparte, has the back 
purplish chestnut, instead of dark green. The European A. minuta differs in being larger; the 
upper wing coverts milk white, not brownish yellow ; the under wing coverts white, instead of 
olivaceous yellow. 
List of specimens. 
Catal. No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When collected. 
Whence obtained. 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
1546 
3 
o 
Carlisle, Pa 
May 18, 1844... 
.. -do 
S. F. Baird 
13.56 
13.75 
17. 64 
17. 75 
4. 88 
4. 88 
....do 
do 
Washington, D. C. 
June, 1843 
do 
9485 
9484 
9486 
Mimbres to Rio Grande 
3 
Sacramento valley 
BOTAURUS, Stephens. 
Botaurus, Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XI, n, 1819, 592. Type Jirdea stellaris, L. 
Ch.— Bill moderate, scarcely longer than the head. Bill outlines gently convex, gonys ascending. Tarsi very short, less 
than the middle toe ; broadly scutellate. Inner lateral toe much longest. Claws all very long, acute, and nearly straight. 
Tail of ten feathers. No peculiar crest. Plumage loose, opaque, streaked. Sexes similar. 
But one species of this genus is found within the limits of the United States. 
BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS, Stephens. 
Bittern; Stake-driver. 
Aide a stellaris, Var. Forster, Phil. Trans. LXII, 1772, 410. 
Jirdea stellaris, Var. 0, Botaurus freti-hudsonis, Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 1788, 635. 
Jirdea lentiginosa, Montagu, Orn. Diet. Suppl. 1813.— Jentns, Man. 191.— Aud. Syn. 1839, 263.— Ib. Birds Amer. 
VI, 1843, 94 ; pi. 365.— Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 374. 
Botaurus lentiginosus, Steph, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XI, 1819, 596. 
Jirdea (Botaurus) lentiginosa, Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 60. 
Butor lentiginosus, Jardine, Br. Birds, III, 147. 
Jirdea minor, Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 35 ; pi. lxv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, 186.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 296 ; 
pi. 337. 
Botaurus minor, Bonap. List, 1838.— Ib. Consp. II, 1855, 136.— Gundlach, Cab. Journ. IV, 1856, 346. 
Jirdea mokoho, Vieillot, Diet. — Wagler, Syst. Av. Jirdea, No. 29. 
Sp. Ch. — Brownish yellow, finely mottled and varied with dark brown and brownish red. A broad black stripe on each side 
the neck, starting behind the ear. Length, 26.50 ; wing, 11.00 ; tarsus, 3.60 ; bill above, 2.75. 
Hab. — Entire continent of North America. 
Bill short, scarcely longer than the head. Gonys ascending, nearly straight. Culmen curved 
towards the tip. Tarsi short, less than the middle toe and claw, covered anteriorly for two- 
thirds the circumference by a single series of scutellae, and behind by a double series. Claws all 
