228 
ZOOLOGY. 
flocks in April, and then dispersing in pairs over the interior prairies to build their nests, which 
are placed among the tall fern on the highest and most open ground, where they can see the 
approach of danger. They frequent, at this season, the mountains to the height of 6,000 feet 
above the sea. The young are often raised from the nest by the Indians for food.—C. 
Family ARDEIDAE.—The Herons. 
ARDEA HERODIAS, Linnaeus. 
Great Blue Heron, or Crane. 
Ardea herodias, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 237, No. 15.— Wilson, Am. Orn, VIII, 1814, 28; pi. Ixv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, 
No. 188.— Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 42.— Aud. Ora. Biog. Ill, 1835,87; V,599; pi. 211 .—Ib. Syn. 
1839.— Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 122; pi. 369.—Br. Consp. II, 1855, 112.— Baird, Gen. Rep. 
Birds, 1858, 668. 
Large crested heron, Catesby, Car. App. pi. x. 
Sp. Ch.—L ower third of tibia bare. Above bluish ash; edges of wing and the tibia rufous. Neck cinnamon brown. Head 
black, with a white frontal patch. Body beneath black, broadly streaked on the belly with white. Crissum white. Middle line 
of throat white, streaked with black and rufous. Length, 42 inches; wing, 18. 50; tarsus about 6.50 ; bill about 5.50. 
Hah. —Throughout the entire territory of the United States; West Indies. 
This heron is quite abundant at Puget Sound, where it is called by the Nisqually Indians 
“sbuck-ah,” and likewise has applied to it the nickname of “tsah-pah,” or “our grandfather , ri 
probably owing to the grave dignity with which the creature struts about on the shores of its 
favorite feeding grounds. The Indians above mentioned have an amusing tradition concerning 
this bird, according to which it appears that he formerly was an Indian, who having quarrelled 
with his wife, (the present Podiceps cornutus ,) they were both transformed by a superior power, 
the man becoming a heron, the woman a dabchick. The latter was a terrible strumpet, and 
seems to have been especially punished for her manifold sins by Dolcweebottle, the Nisqually 
Jupiter.—S. 
The great blue heron is abundant throughout the year near the coast, and near the mouth of 
the Columbia I have seen flocks of two hundred in August, which had congregated to devour 
the herring, common at that season. They build also in high trees near the same place.—C. 
BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS, (Montagu,) Stephens. 
Bittern; Stake-driver. 
Ardea lentiginosa, Montagu, Orn. Diet. Suppl. 1813.— Jenyns, Man. 191.— Aud. Syn. 1839,262 .—Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 
1843, 94; pi. 365.—Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 374. 
Botaurus lentiginosus, Stisph, Shaw’s Gen. Zool. XI, 1819, 596.— Baird, Gen. Rep. Birds, 674. 
Ardea ( Botaurus ) lentiginosa, Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 60. 
Ardea minor, Wilson, Am. Ora. VIII, 1814, 35; pi. lxv.— Bon. Obs. 1825, 186.— Aud. Orn. Biog. IV, 1838, 296; pi. 
337. 
Botaurus minor, Bonap. List, 1838 .—Ib. Consp. II, 1855, 136.— Gundlach, Cab. Joum IV, 1856, 346. 
Sp. Ch. —Brownish yellow, finely mottled and varied with dark brown and brownish red. A broad black stripe on each 
side the neck, starting behind the ear. Length, 26. 50; wing, 11. 00; tarsus, 3.60; bill above, 2.75. 
Hah. —Entire continent of North America. 
Rather widely distributed. One specimen obtained in the Rocky mountains at Fort Owen, 
