664 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS — HERODIONES— HERODII. 
'Fig. 462. — American Bittern. (.From Tenney, after Audubon.) 
266. BOTAU/RUS. (Late Lat. hotaurus, a bittern ; said to be not equal to hos-taurus; from 
the hollow guttural cry ?) Bitterns. Of medium size ; length about 2i feet. Bill mod- 
erately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle toe and claw. 
Tarsus broadly scutellate in front. No crests or peculiar dorsal plumes ; neck-feathers long 
and loose J plumage blended, spotty and streaky. Neck in part bare behind. Sexes and 
young alike. 
666. B. mugi'tans. (Lat. mugitans^ bellowing. Figs. 461, 462.) American Bittern. Indian 
Hen. Stake-driver. Bog-bull. Plumage of the upper parts singularly freckled Math brown 
of various shades, blackish, tawny, 
and whitish ; neck and under parts 
ochrey or tawny-white, each feather 
marked with a brown dark-edged 
stripe, the throat-line white, with 
brown streaks. A velvety-black 
patch on each side of the neck 
above. Crown dull brown, with 
buff superciliary stripe. Tail brown. 
Quills greenish-black, with a glau- 
cous shade, brown -tipped. L'is yel- 
low. Bill on the ridge brownish - 
black, the rest pale yellowish ; a 
dark brown loral stripe. Legs 
dull yellowish -green ; claws brown. 
Length from 23.00 to 34.00 ! extent 
32.00-45.00! wing 9.50-13.00 ; bill 
about 3.00; tarsus, about 3.50; middle toe without claw about the same; its claw above 
an inch long. 9 smaller than $ ; but few birds differ so much in size as this species, indepen- 
dently of sex. Entire temperate N. Am., N. to 58° or 60°, S. to C. Am. ; accidental in Europe. 
Regularly migratory; resident in the South. The bittern is a bird of very marked character. 
It inhabits bog and brake, singly or in pairs ; has a hoarse gurgling outcry of alarm, and a 
note sounding like the strokes of a mallet on a stake. Nests on the ground ; eggs 3-5, brown- 
ish-drab with a gray (not gaeen) shade, 1.90 to 2.00 long by about 1.50. 
267. ARDET^TA. (Ital. diminutive of Ardea.) Dv^ARF Bitterns. Very small, least of the whole 
family ; length about a foot. In form very nearly as in Botauriis. Bill slender. Tarsus about 
equal to middle toe and claw. No peculiar feathers ; those of lower neck long and loose ; head 
slightly crested. Colors of back in large areas. Sexes dissimilar ; young similar. There are 
several species of these queer little herons, of America and the Old World ; they mostly inhabit 
reedy swamps, and somewhat approach rails. 
66T. A. exi'Iis. (Lat. exilis, for exigiJis, exiguous, slight, small.) Least Bittern. Adult ^ 
with the slightly crested crown, back, and tail, glossy greenish-black. Neck behind, most of 
the wing-coverts, and outer edges of inner quills, rich chestnut ; other wing-coverts brownish- 
yellow. Front and sides of neck, and under parts, brownish-yellow, varied with white along 
the throat-line, the sides of the breast with a blackish-brown patch. Bill mostly pale yellow, 
the culmen blackish ; lores light green ; eyes and toes yellow ; legs green, the hinder scales 
yellow. 9 with the black of the back entirely, that of the crown mostly or wholly, replaced 
by rich purplish-chestnut; the edges of the scapulars forming a brownish-white stripe on either 
side. Length 11.00-14.00 ; extent somewhere about 18.00 ; wing 4.00-5.00 ; tail, bill, tarsus, 
middle toe and claw, each, 2.00 or less. U. S. and Brit. Provinces, common ; migratory ; 
resident in the South ; breeds throughout its range. Found also in W. I. and C. Am. Inhabits 
reedy swamps and marshes, such as rails frequent; nest on ground or in bush or reed patch, 
