AMERICAN BITTERN. 
99 
AMERICAN BIITERN. 
STAKE DRIVER. 
Botaurus lentiginosus. 
Char. Upper parts brownish buff thickly spotted or mottled — 
freckled” — with reddish brown and black; neck buff; line down the 
throat white, spotted with brown ; a patch of black or dark brown or gray 
on the sides of the neck ; under parts pale buff striped with brown ; bill 
rather short, stout, and of yellow color ; legs yellowish green. I.ength at 
to ,30 inches. e. = a 
Nest. In a swamp or reedy marsh, jrlaced on the ground ; a thick mat 
Of coarse grass loosely laid. 
A.g-r. 3-5; brownish drab, sometimes with an olive tint; 1.90 X t.45. 
The Bittern of America, though apparently nowhere numer- 
ous, from its retiring habits, is found in almost every part of 
the continent where there exist extensive marshes either 
UQaritime or inland, up to the 58th parallel, and is found 
in the morasses and willow-thickets of the interior throughout 
t e fur countries. From the inclement regions it retires in the 
'Vinter, while in other parts it is permanently resident. It is 
said to revisit Severn River, at Hudson Bay, about the begin- 
ning of June, nesting in the swamps among the sedges. It 
reeds also in several parts of Massachusetts, young birds 
eing rnet with in the Fresh Pond marshes and other places 
in the vicinity of Boston about the middle of summer. 
^ During the day the Night Hen, as it is here called, remains 
1 den in the reeds and sedge, and rarely comes out till the 
with'^°^'^'^ of night. When disturbed in its retreat, it flies off 
a hollow 'hva, or kowk, kowk, and sometimes gives a loud 
squeak of alann ; at this time, as it flies heavily and at no great 
ob'^' oasily shot down. These birds are also sometimes 
^^tained by lying in wait for them as they sally out in the 
vening towards the salt-marshes, in a particular direction, 
'n quest of food. 
sun” the breeding-season and throughout a great part of the 
the^™^"' often hear the loud booming note of this bird from 
marshes of Fresh Pond, morning and evening, and some- 
