Page:Auk Volume 13-1896.djvu/50

﻿ of June, 1890, two and a half miles above Fort Thompson, Florida, in a small willow swamp on the borders of Lake Flint [lege Flirt]. It was built of willow twigs and lined inside with maiden cane leaves. It was in a low bush two feet and a half above the surface of the water. There were four young birds, about two-thirds grown, in the nest. I had one of the old birds in my hand, which I think was the female. She was not inclined to fight and would not leave the nest. The other old bird was two or three feet from me and seemed a much larger bird. I did not disturb them and when I let the old bird go she hopped back on her nest as though she was accustomed to being handled."

This comparison shows such striking differences between these two birds, that to give further reasons for regarding them as specifically distinct seems much like proving an axiom.

Aside from the differences in color and pattern of coloration and the manner in which the mature plumage is acquired, the fact that the young of neoxena resemble the adults, and that no example of exilis showing an approach to neoxena has ever been recorded, would seem to give Cory's Bittern undisputed title to full specific rank.

While we may therefore reject the suggestion that neoxena is a color-phase of exilis, and in fact leave exilis entirely out of the question, the specimens of neoxena present certain characters which demand investigation. Allowing for normal variation only three of my ten specimens of neoxena are alike, while the remaining seven show either melanistic or albinistic markings or both combined. No. 167 (♂ im., Mich.) has several white feathers on the right tibia but is otherwise normal. The type (No. 2001, Fla.) has two entirely white feathers on the right flank. No. 44,087 (Fla.) has the abdominal region and flanks wholly chestnut without black. There are three pure white feathers on one side of the belly and five on the other; part of the anterior portion and the entire inside of the right tibia are white. No. 7 1 (♂ ad., Toronto) has conspicuous white patches on the abdomen, vent, and tibiæ. No. 44,088 (im., Fla.) presents the extreme of albinism; the abdominal region, breast, and tibiæ; are almost wholly white, the outer primary of the left wing is entirely white, and white feathers appear on the bend of both wings and under wing-coverts. No.