964 



NESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



He gives a pretty pictvire of their nests — about thirty in number — built 

 both on the mangi'oves and on tlic branches of a yt'llow-blossomed 

 liibiscus. They were very frail structures, consisting of a few small 

 twigs, placed across each other on the horizontal branches, not more than 

 six feet from the ground, and each containing two yoimg birds or two 

 eggs. 



Gould states he himself observed two individuals sitting close to their 

 flat nest on the branch of a mangi-ove gi'owing on Garden Island, near 

 the mouth of the Hunter River, but for some reason or otber he did 

 not describe the eggs. Dr. Ramsay, in describing the eggs, states that 

 this Mangrove Bittern used to breed freely at one time in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Sydney. Mr. John Ramsay, as far back as September, 

 1860, found several of their nests in the mangroves on the Parraniatta 

 River. 



The eggs I have de cribed are from the colK ction of Mr. S. W. Jackson, 

 who has enjoyed pleasant nesting experiences with both this and the 

 Yellow-necked Mangi'ove Bittern in the Clarence River district. 



Bi"eeding months in southern localities, September to, probably, 

 January. 



715. — Ardetta sinensis, Ginciin. 

 LITTLE YELLOW BITTERN. 



Rtferoice. — Cat. Birds Brit. .Mus., vol. xxvi., p. 227. 



Previous Description of Eogs. — Swinhoe ; Hume-(.)ates : Nests and E^gs 

 Indian Birds, vol. iii., p. 255 (i8go). 



Geographical Dutrihutinn. — Northern Territory and North Queens- 

 land ; also New Guinea, through the Austro^Malayan Archipelago to 

 Further India, India, China and Japan; Marianne, Caroline, and Pelew 

 Islands. 



Nest. — In thick reeds or rushes of swamps, two or three feet above 

 the surface of the water. 



^9!l^- — Clutch, four to six ; elliptical in shape ; texture of shell fine ; 

 surface slightly glossy ; colour, delicate greenish-wliite. Dimensions in 

 inches (1) 1-32 x -98, (2) 1-28 x -97, (3) 1-2.5 x -96. 



Ohxerratioiis.- — It is interesting to have this Oriental little Bittern 

 among the Australian avi-faima. Mr. J. T. Cockerell procured an adult 

 specimen in Queensland ; while another example is also reported from 

 Australia (probably the north). The Little Yellow Bittern is about 

 1.5 inches in total length, or about lialf tlio length again of the Minute 

 Bittern. 



Nests of the Little Yellow Bittern have been taken in various parts 

 of India, Pegu, Anioy and Japan. 1 



