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Range (Temperate North America breeds) (II)

Temperate North America; breeds but rarely south of Virginia; winters from Virginia southward.

Washington, rather common W. V., Aug. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V., Apl. and Sept. to Nov. Sing Sing, rare S. R., Apl. 11 to Oct. 5. Cambridge, not common S. R., Apl. 15 to Nov. Nest, of grasses, etc., on the ground in marshes. Eggs, three to five, pale olive-buff, 1.90 × 1.45.

The Bittern makes its home in extensive grassy meadows with plenty of water, but in the season of migration may be found and HERONS AND BITTERNS. heard "booming" in smaller and more accessible swampy places. Like the other members of its family, it excels in standing still, and will hold its head erect and motionless amid the tall grass till the watcher tires of looking and pronounces the suspicious object nothing but a stick after all. The Bittern's fame rests upon its vocal performance, or "boom." This is sometimes exactly like the working of an old-fashioned wooden pump, and sometimes-even with the same bird-like the driving of a stake in a bog. It can be heard for a long distance. The performance is best witnessed in spring, while the grass is still low. That it is not so very difficult at that season to steal a march upon the bird may perhaps be considered as established on the testimony of a man who has never lived near a Bittern meadow, and yet has watched the performance at much length and at near range on several occasions. His first experience of this kind is described somewhat fully in The Auk, vol. vi, page 1. The strange notes are delivered with equally strange contortions, as if the bird were horribly nauseated, and are preceded by a succession of quick snapping or gulping sounds-"hiccoughs," one observer has called them. No water is employed in the operation, in spite of the circumstantial assertions of several persons who profess to have seen the bird swallowing and then ejecting it. -BRADFORD TORREY. 191. Ardetta exilis (Gmel.). LEAST BITTERN. Ad. 8.-Top of the head, back, and tail shining black; back of the neck chestnut-rufous; most of the greater wing-coverts and outer vanes of the secondaries darker; lesser wing-coverts and part of the greater ones buffy; under parts, including under tail-coverts, washed with buffy; a blackish patch at either side of the breast. Ad. 0+ .-Similar, but head browner and back light, glossy umber; under parts darker and more or less streaked with brownish. Im. 8. - Similar to ad. ♂, but the back washed and tipped with chestnut; under parts darker and lightly streaked with black. Im. 9. - similar to ad. 9, but the back rufous, margined with buffy ochraceous. L., 13.00; W., 4.60; Tar., 1.60; B., 1.80.