ARDEIDH3 — THE HERONS — BOTAURUS. 
67 
than the middle toe) ; the tibiae almost completely feathered, and the claws very long and but 
slightly curved. Tail, of ten short, soft feathers, slightly rounded or nearly even. 
Bill gradually tapering from the base to the point, the upper outline more convex than the 
lower, the gonys very slightly convex and gently ascending, the lower edge of the maxillary rami 
perfectly straight ; mental apex extending forward about half way from the centre of the eye to 
the point of the bill, and slightly in advance of the anterior end of the nostril ; malar apex falling 
far short of that of the frontal feathers. Toes very long, the middle one considerably exceeding 
the bill and almost equalling the tarsus ; inner toe decidedly longer than the outer ; hallux about 
half the middle toe ; claws very long (that of the hallux nearly equal to its digit), and but 
slightly curved ; bare portion of the tibia shorter than the hallux. Tarsi with large regular 
scutellce in front. 
Only two American species are known, both very distinct. They may be distinguished by the 
following points of difference : — 
B. lentiginosus. Nape and sides of the neck plain ochraceous, or only minutely freckled ; 
wing-coverts minutely speckled with different shades of ochraceous or rusty. A blackish 
or dull grayish stripe on the side of the neck. Lower parts distinctly striped. Wing, 
9.80-12.00; culmen, 2.50-3.20 ; depth of bill through nostril, .50-. 65 ; tarsus, 3.10- 
3.85; middle toe, 2.90-3.60. IIab. — North America; south to Guatemala, Cuba, and 
Jamaica ; Bermudas ; occasional in British Islands. 
B, pinnatus. 1 Nape and sides of neck transversely rayed or barred with blackish ; wing- 
coverts coarsely variegated, in irregular, somewhat “ herring-bone” pattern with blackish. 
No black or grayish stripe on side of neck. Lower parts nearly unvariegated. Wing, 
10.10 ; culmen, 3.25 ; depth of bill through nostril, .70 ; tarsus, 3.75 ; middle toe, 3.75. 
Hab. — Tropical America, north to Nicaragua. 
Botaurus lentiginosus. 
THE AMERICAN BITTERN. 
Ardca stellaris canadensis, Edwards, Nat. Hist. pi. 136. 
Lc Bator dc la Baye dc Hudson, Edwards, 1. c. 
Botaurus Frcti-Hudsonis, Briss. Orn. V. 1760, 450, pi. 37, fig. 1. 
Ardca stellaris, Varietas, Forst. Philos. Trans. LXII. 1772, 410, no. 38 (Severn R. ). 
Bittern, Var. A., Lath. Synop. III. 1785, 58. 
Ardca stellaris, B., Lath. Ind. Orn. II. 1790, 680, no. 18 B. (ex Edwards, pi. 136). 
Ardca mugitans, Bartr. Travels, 1792, . 
Botaurus mugitans, Coues, Check List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 666. 
Ardca lentiejinosa, Montague, Orn. Diet. Suppl. 1813. — Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 374. — 
Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 60. — Aud. Synop. 1839, 263 ; Birds Am. VI. 1843, 94, pi. 365. 
Botaurus lentiginosus, Stephens, Shaw’s Gen. Zool. XII. 1819, 596. — Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 
674 ; Cat. N. Ann B. 1859, no. 492. — Reiciienow, J. f. O. 1877, 248. — Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. 
B. 1881, no. 497. 
Ardca hudsonias, Meurem, Erseh. Grub. Ency. Y. 1820, 175. 
Ardca minor, Wils. Am. Orn. VIII. 1814, 35, pi. 65, fig. 3. 
Botaurus minor, Boie, Isis, 1826, 979. — Coues, Key, 1872, 269 ; Check List, 1873, no. 460 ; Birds 
N. W. 1874, 523. 
Butor amcricanus, Swains. Classif. B. II. 1837, 354. 
Ardea mokolco, Vieill. Nouv. Diet. XIV. 1817, 440. 
Botaurus adsgycrsus, “Cad.,” Bonap. Consp. II. 1857, 156. 
1 Botaurus pinnatus, Licht. 
Ardca pinnata, “Licht.,” Wage. Isis, 1829, 663. 
Botaurus pinnatus, Gray, Gen. B. III. 557. 
Ardca brasiliensis, Max. Beitr. 1832, 642. 
