July, 1')12 NOTES ON THE WADING BIRDS OF THE BARR LAKE REGION, COLORADO By ROBERT B. ROCKWELL VglTH THIIITI,IEN PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR HE previous papers relating to the bird-life of the Barr Lake regiou, which have appeared in TUE Co?)oR, have dealt with species which, either through their relative abundance or through the ease with which their nests were located, have made possible a more or less connected account of their breeding habits. The species mentioned in this paper are on the other hand species which breed in such limited numbers, or whose nesting habits vary so little as to Fig. 44. TYPICAL NEST AND EGGS OF BITTERN make an extended study of these habits either impossible or so little removed from the ordinary as to be unworthy of publication.* It will therefore be the lmrpose of this paper as far as is practicable to lay before the reader (even at the risk of a disconnected recital) only those facts which throw new light upon the habits of this very interesting class of birds. As an aid to easy reference it is probably best to treat each species separately in the order of the A. O. U. nonien- clature. Botaurus lentiginosus. AMERICAN BITTERN. Bitterns were among the commonest birds around all the rush-bound ponds. but owing to their retiring habits they were seldom seen except when flushed, and as they were dose sitters fewer nests were found than the relative abundance
- All the notes upon which this paper i? based were taken in company with L. J. Hersey.
