GRALL^ GRUID.E ARDEA. 225 



THE SMALL BITTERN. 



Ardea exilis. 



plate lxxxiii. fig. 190. 



(STATE COLLECTION.) 



Ardca exilis, Gmelin. Little Heron, Pennant, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 453 (exc. syn.) Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 8, 



p. 37, pi. C5, fig. 4. 

 A. (Ardeola) id. Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. N. Y. Vol. 2, p. 308. 



Ardeala id. Bonaparte, Geog. anj Comp. List, p. 49. Audubon, B. of A. Vol. 6, p. 100, pi, 306. Giratjd, 

 Birds of Long island, p. 287. 



Characteristics. Subcrested. Chesnut ; beneath whitish. Neck, above and sides rufous. 

 Crown, quills and tail black. Length, 11 "0. 



Description. Bill compressed, pointed, very slightly arched towards the tip, 2*5 long. 

 Body much compressed. Naked space on the tibia, very small. Tarsus with broad oblique 

 scutells, robust, shorter than the middle toe and its claw. Edges of the mandibles minutely 

 serrate ; the serratures directed backwards : tip of the upper mandible slightly notched. 

 Feathers of the neck and breast long, and loosely webbed. 



Color. Female : Bill dusky black above, yellow on the sides and beneath. Feet yellowish 

 green. Lores yellowish. Crown reddish brown, tinged with greenish, and bounded on each 

 side with rufous : back of the neck light rufous. Back deep reddish brown. Tail purplish 

 black ; primaries tipped with rufous. Throat white, with a central brown line. Neck and 

 beneath white, shaded with cream and dark brown narrow streaks along the shafts. Male : 

 Upper part of the head, with the back, glossy dark green ; sides of the head and hind part of 

 the neck brownish red. Throat, neck and beneath reddish white. Breast black, tipped with 

 rufous. 



Length, 10-0-12-0. 



This small Bittern is a southern species, appearing in New- York about the beginning ot 

 May, and is found throughout the State, where it breeds. Eggs yellowish green, unspotted. 

 It prefers marshes and the borders of streams. It extends its migrations from Mexico to the 

 45th parallel, and is a permanent resident in Florida. 



[Fauna — Part 2.] 29 



