C 410 ] 
38. Stellaris, 239- 21 . Varietas. The Bittern, Br* 
Zook Edw. 136. Faun. Am. Sept. pag. 14*. 
Severn River, N° 64. 
At fir ft fight, 1 thought the fpecimen Tent from 
Hudfon’s- Bay, was a young bird > but upon 
nearer examination and comparing it with 
Mr. Edwards’s account and figure, I take it 
to be a variety of the common bittern pe- 
culiar to North America ; it is fmaller, but 
upon- the whole very much refeinbles our 
bittern. Mr. Edwards’s meafurements and 
drawings correfpond very well with the fpeci- 
mem 
This bird appears at Severn river the latter end 
of May, lives chiefly among the fwamps and 
willows, where it builds its neft, and lays 
only two eggs at a time ; it is very indolent, 
and, when roufed, removes only to a Ihors 
diftance. 
s8. Sgdxopax, f 39. Totanus. 245. 12, Spotted 
Woodcock.! Woodcock, Faun. Am, Sept, 14, 
Albany Fort, N° i6 k 
This bird is called a yellow leg at Albany fort, 
from the bright yellow colour of the legs, 
©fpecially in old birds j a circumftance, in 
which it varies from the defcriptions of Lin- 
neus and Briflbn, probably becaufe they de~ 
^ In the Faunula Americae Septentrional!?, p. 14. the fynonym 
of Ardea Hudfonias, Linn, has by miftake been annexed to the 
bittern, and likewife pi. 135 of Edwards has been quoted in- 
fiead of plate 136. They are two very differeat birds. 
fcribed 
