412 AKDEID.E. 



but they can only be considered chance visitors ; nor are 

 they of much more frequent occurrence in France, though 

 occasionally to be met with near the mouths of the Rhone. 

 In Hungary it is far more frequent, resorting to the rivers 

 and lakes for food, which consists of small fish, frogs, 

 beetles, and small crabs, whence it has acquired its French 

 name of Crabier. It is said to be more given to perching 

 in trees than any other Heron, and is often seen in the 

 company of cattle and herds of swine. I^othing is known 

 of its nest or eggs. 



THE LITTLE BITTERN. 



BOTAURUS MTNUTUS. 



Head, back, scapulars, secondaries, and tail, black, with gi-een reflections ; sides 

 of the head, neck, wing-coverts, and under plumage, reddish yellow ; primaries 

 greyish black ; beak yellow, tipped with brown ; orbits and irides yellow ; feet 

 greenish yellow. In young birds most of the plumage is tinged with brown ; 

 front of the neck whitish, Avith numerous dark streaks. Length thirteen and 

 and a half inches. Eggs white. 



Bearing a close resemblance to the Herons in length of neck, 

 conformation of beak, and fishing propensities, the Little 

 Bittern differs from them greatly in having much shorter 

 legs ; its size also is much less than that of the Common 

 Heron, as its body is not larger than that of the Turtle 

 Dove or Fieldfare. It is only a stray visitor in this country, 

 but is common in many parts of the Continent. In the 

 marshes of Essone, near Paris, for instance, it is very 

 abundant, where it stations itself on the flags and tussucks 

 of grass, to dart on its prey, which is said to consist wholly 

 of small fish. In the months of August and September 

 Little Bitterns are so numerous there, that if a gun be fired 

 the valley re-echoes to a long distance with their harsh 

 cries. It builds its nest of grass, rushes, and twigs, among 

 long herbage, close to the ground, and lays four or five eggs. 



