The Nuptial Plumes of Bitterns: A Correction.— In the last num¬ 
ber of The Auk (Vol. XXVIII, Jan., 1911, p. 100) I quoted, from an 
article written by Agnes M. Learned and published in 1 Bird-Lore ’ (Vol. X, 
No. 3, May-June, 1908, pp. 106-108), a paragraph relating to the white 
nuptial plumes of the American Bittern. This I characterized as “ rather 
curiously incomplete,” failing to notice that it is led up to and made per¬ 
fectly intelligible by two or three lines which occur above it on the same 
page in the midst of matter not closely kindred. They run as follows: 
“ Here we saw > one perfect Sunday morning in June (the 9th), the Bittern; 
but not as we had seen him before, for on his back he wore two clusters of 
beautiful white plumes that fluttered softly in the morning air.” 
I trust that Miss Learned will forgive me for overlooking this essential 
and gracefully worded passage. How I could have done so is difficult 
to understand for I read her article no less than three times — as I thought, 
with care. Apparently my eyes see Bittern plumes better in Concord 
bogs than in printed text; but then light within doors is no longer what it 
used to be, as every oldish person knows.— William Brewster, Cam¬ 
bridge, Mass. 
An k Sti.Api *19)’ p, 2,4 6. 
The American Bittern Nesting on Long Island, N. Y.— Previously 
the American Bittern ( Botaurus lentiginosus) has been classed as a transient 
visitant on Long Island, since, heretofore, no definite record of its nesting 
there has been forthcoming. Though the breeding range of this species 
includes New York State, and though the area of Long Island has been 
perhaps the most attentively examined by bird students and sportsmen, it 
has not heretofore been recorded as a nesting bird there. 
Giraud wrote seventy years ago (Birds of Long Island, N. Y., 1844) of 
this species on Long Island in his pleasing manner; of its habits and com¬ 
parative scarcity, but makes no mention of its nesting. George N. Law¬ 
rence in his ‘ Catalogue of Birds observed on New York, Long and Staten 
Islands, and the adjacent parts of New Jersey,’ merely fists the bird, without 
remark of any sort. Mr. Dutcher’s notes on the birds of Long Island in 
Chapman’s 1 Handbook ’ 1894, and subsequent editions mention no record 
of its breeding, but give its status as “ common transient visitant.” 
In my ‘ List of Birds of Long Island ’ (Abstr. Proc. Linn. Soc. of N. Y., 
1907) I also gave its status as a common transient visitant, recording the 
limits of its occurrence, observed and collected to that time, in spring, 
April 16 (Sheepshead Bay) to May 5 (Montauk); autumn, August 4 
(Shinnecock) to December 11 (Rockaway). I may say that data since 
collected have extended the spring arrival nearly a week earlier, i. e. to 
April 10 (1909, Seaford). 
The actual discovery of a nest, eggs and young of the American Bittern 
on Long Island has apparently been reserved till the present year. On 
Sunday, June 14, 1914, Mr. Robert W. Peavey, to whom students of Long 
Island birds are indebted in many instances for his indefatigable enthu¬ 
siasm, discovered a nest of this bittern on the part of the Great South Bay 
of Long Island, known as Jones’ Beach, or locally, as Seaford Beach. This 
is one of the least frequented parts of the ocean-side Long Island beaches. 
The nest contained two newly-hatched young birds and two eggs. It was 
placed on salt meadow hay and was built up several inches above the level 
of the ground. Mr. Peavey flushed the bird off the nest when he was 
within three feet of her. The locality was one mile east of the High Hill 
Life Saving Station near the back or bay side of the beach, and within a 
newly-established game-preserve of about 5000 acres, which is guarded 
by a patrolman. 
It may be said that he was the less surprised in that he had been informed 
of the unusual occurrence of one or more “ Look-ups,” as they are named 
in this part of Long Island, by Nelson Verity, one of the veteran gunners of 
this locality, and had himself seen an American Bittern on June 7 on 
Seaford Creek, almost within the limits of the village of the same name. 
It is safe I think to say that the bird as a breeding species is exceptional 
on the whole of Long Island, as well as in this restricted locality — Seaford 
region, since Mr. Peavey has spent a day each week for many summers in 
this place, and his own observation as well as the testimony of the baymen 
of the region make its occurrence here in the nesting season altogether 
unprecedented.— William C. Braislin, Brooklyn, N. Y. 
XX-X 
ir? 
