AMERICAN BITTERN.
AMERICAN BITTERN.
BOTAURUS LENTIGINOSUS {Montagu).
Ardea lentiginosa, Montagu, Suppl. to Omith. Diet. (1813).
Botaurus lentiginosus, Macg. iv. p. 417; Yarr. ed. 4, iv.
p. 213; Dresser, vi. p. 289.
This bird has found its way across the Atlantic to our
Islands so frequently as to fully merit a place in the
British list as a bond fide traveller, although, as suggested
in the 4th edition of ‘Yarrell,’ it is of course
possible that some of its visits may have been assisted
and expedited by “ spells ” on the spars of the ocean
steamers. I do not, however, consider it probable that
this sort of assistance has been very frequent, though,
from the rarity of the American Bittern in the hands of
our English dealers in live birds, it would appear that
the bird is seldom imported, and the chances of escapes
of course thereby diminished.
The range of this species is stated to extend nearly
over the whole continent of North America, from the
shores of the Arctic Ocean to Texas and Guatemala; it
has also been met with in Cuba and Jamaica.