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Range (Temperate and tropical America) (II)

Temperate and tropical America; breeds in North America as far north as Maine, Ontario, and Manitoba; winters from southern Florida southward.

Washington, not very numerous S. R., May 5 to Sept. 25. Long Island, common S. R., May to Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. R., to Aug. 10. Cambridge, rather common S. R., May 15 to Aug.

Nest, of grasses, plant stems, etc., in marshes among rushes, sometimes in a small bush. Eggs, three to six, pale bluish white, 1.20 × 92. Wet, grassy marshes such as Rail love, or reed-grown ponds that Gallinules frequent, are the resorts of these retiring, secretive little birds. With outstretched necks and lowered heads they make their way without difficulty through the jungle of roots and stalks. Sometimes they climb up a slender reed, and, hanging on like Marsh Wrens, HERONS AND BITTERNS, survey their surroundings. They take wing almost from beneath one's feet, and, with a low, frightened qua, fly slowly for a short distance and then drop back into the grass. During the breeding season one may hear what presumably is the voice of only the male-a soft, slowly repeated, dovelike coo, coo, coo, coo, coo. It floats over the marsh like the voice of a spirit bird. 191.1. Ardetta neoxena Cory. CORY'S BITTERN. Ad. 8.- "Top of the head, back, and tail dark greenish black, showing a green gloss when held in the light. Sides of the head and throat rufous-chestnut, the feathers on the back of the neck showing greenish-black tips; breast and under parts nearly uniform rufous-chestnut, shading into dull black on the sides; wing-coverts dark rufous-chestnut, all the remiges entirely slaty plumbeous; under tailcoverts uniform dull black. W., 4.30; Tar., 1·40; B., 1.80" (Cory, orig. descr., Auk, iii, 1886, p. 262).

This small Bittern was described from a specimen taken in the Everglades of Florida, Five additional specimens have since been secured in the same region, to which, until recently, the species was supposed to be confined. Within the past few years, however, seven specimens have been taken in the Toronto marshes, where A. exilis is common, and one is recorded from Michigan. It seems to me not unlikely that, as Mr. W. E. D. Scott suggests, neoxena may prove to be a color phase of A. exilis. (Cf. Scott, Auk. viii, 1891, p. 309; ix, 1892, p. 141; and Chapman, ibid., xiii, 1896, p. 11.) 192. Ardea occidentalis Aud. GREAT WHITE HERON. Ad.-Entirely white; in breeding plumage, with long, narrow, stiffened feathers on the back and lower foreneck, and two narrow plumes on the back of the crown. "L., 45.00-54-00; W., 17.00-21.00; B., 6.00-7.00; Tar, 8.00-8.75" (Ridgw.).