39 
1875. 
Ardetta oxilis. 
Middlesex county, Mass 
(July 28) hide among the tussocks. When I picked it up, it struck 
at me repeatedly in the manner of the Common Bittern, 
and v/ith a motion as quick as lightening. One thrust 
hit my hand, the bird driving his bill through the skin 
and draing blood. The stomachs of both the adult and 
young v/ero crammed v,rith Coleoptera especially of largo 
species of Water beetle. 
Aug. 4, Shot an adult female in rather worn plumage in the 
Brickyard Swamp this morning. Her stomach contained 
a number of large bream. 
* 9* Shot an adult male in the Brickyard Sweunp, 
fl 24. Have seen none for a long time. 
1876. 
May 12. In the Belmont W’illows one started from the road 
in front of my horse and alighted in a bush over the wa¬ 
ter, I approached within ten paces and shot it with a 
collecting pistol. It fell broken-winged into the water 
and swimming across the ditch landed on the opposite shore 
where it awaited my approach without trying to conceal 
itself in the long grass. When I held out ray hand it 
struck it with wonderful quickness and directness of aim, 
driving thfe points of its sharp bill through the skin. 
The blow, however, was comparatively feob^ , It also 
ruffled up its feathers like a wounded Botaurus and utt¬ 
ered an angry squeaking noise. When perched in the bush¬ 
es it sat with its head drawn ia and frequently jerked 
up its tail. Its stomach was fairly crammed with white 
cotton wool,among which wore three small parasitical 
worms, many larger worms were twined around the intes- 
tiaes. 
