HERONS AND BITTERNS. ‘ 131 
     
    
   
   
    
     survey their surroundings. They take wing},r almost from beneath one‘s 
     
     feet. and, with a low. frightened qllrl. ily slowly for a short distanee 
     
     and then drop back into the grass. During,r the hreedingjr season one. 
     
     may 11 air what presnmahl)‘ is the \'oiee of only the male—a soft. slowly 
     
     repeated. dovelike woo. em). coo, ('00. (’00. It lloats over the marsh like 
     
     the, voice of a spirit bird. 
     
    
   
   
    
     191. 1. Ardetta, neoxena (bl-y. (Sony‘s l’.rr'rt:n.\'. r141. 6 .-—“ Top of 
     
     the head. hack. and tail dark greenish blue-k, showing a green gloss when held 
     
     in the light. Sides of the head and throat l‘LtiittlS»t’ltt‘stlttlt. the t‘eathets on the 
     
     hack ot' the neck showing greenislehlaek tips: hreast and under parts nearly 
     
     unit'orni rut'ouswhestnut. shadinj,r into dull hlaek on the sides; wing—eoverts 
     
     dark rut‘ous—ehestnut. all the reiniges entirely slat)‘ pluniheous; under tail- 
     
     eox'erts uniform dull black. \\'.,4‘30; Tur..1'4t7; ’x.. 1'30" (Cory, orig. desen, 
     
     Auk.iii,168t}. p. 2152). 
     
    

    
     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 he confined. Within the past few years. however. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     specimens have been taken in the Toronto marshes. where 4-1. mitts- is 
     
     common. and one is reeorded from Michigan. 11 seems to me not an- 
     
     likely that, as Mr. \V. l‘l. 1). Scott suggests. mormm may prove to he a. 
     
     eolor phase of A. 817171.82 ((‘t. Scott. Auk. \‘iii. lS‘Jl. p. 309; ix, 1892, 
     
     p. 141; and Chapman7 find. xiii, 1896, p. 11.) 
     
    
   
   
    
     192. Ardea, occidentalis .lturl. GREAT Winn: HERON. Ail—En— 
     
     tirely white; in hreeding plumage. with long. narrow. stitl‘ened feathers on the 
     
     baek and lower t‘oreneek, and two narrow plumes on the hack of the crown. 
     
     “ It. rts‘mLM-eo; W., lT'WLL‘l'W: ll. WUCPT‘W; 'l'ar, s't'thh'TS "' titide'w. I. 
     
    

    
     /.’rIn{/e.—J:niiait-a and t‘uha north to the coasts of southern Florida, casu— 
     
     ally to Anelote River and Mieeo. 
     
    

    
     AMI. a plntt‘m‘m of sticks in colonies in mangrove hushes. Iz'yyx, three to 
     
     four. pale, dull hlue. 2'50 x l'wt 
     
    

    
     This is a common species on the coasts of southern Florida. par- 
     
     ticularly in the vicinity of ('ape Sable. Rarely it is found as far north 
     
     as the .-\nclote River on the west coast. and Mieco on the east coast. 
     
     This bird is as large as the (ireat Blue, Heron. and must not be con- 
     
     t’nsed with Arden (lyre/{(1. to which the name Great White lleron is 
     
     frequently applied. 
     
    

    
     Arr/ea wuerrhnunni Baird has heen considered to he a color phase 
     
     of this species. but its true standing is unknown. It is described by 
     
     Cones as follows: 
     
    

    
     “ Head. with the crest. white. the forehead streaked with black edges of‘the 
     
    
   
   
    
     feathers: under parts white. the sides streaked with black: lower plumes ot’ 
     
     neck white. mostly streaked with black edges of the feathers; neek purplish