ARDEin-^s. 



-^8i 



THE LITTLE BITTERN. 



x\rdetta minuta (Linn^Eus). 



This small species has been obtained in nearly every county of 

 England, especially in the eastern and southern districts ; while there 

 can be little doubt that it bred on some of the Broads of Norfolk 

 comparatively recently, and formerly did so in other localities. In 

 Wales, and on the west side of the island, it is of rare occurrence, 

 as it is also to the north of Yorkshire ; while to Scotland its visits 

 are very irregular, though extending as far as the Orkneys and 

 Shetlands. Mr. Ussher informs me that he has at least twenty-four 

 records for Ireland, the majority from the southern counties. Most 

 of the instances recorded in the British Islands have been between 

 spring and autumn, but a few in the winter months. 



The Little Bittern is only a rare wanderer to the Faroes, Iceland, 

 Norway and Sweden ; and although it has been obtained on several 

 occasions in Denmark as well as the district of St. Petersburg, its 

 usual migrations do not extend beyond the Baltic. Southward, it is 

 found during summer in suitable situations throughout Europe ; but 

 even from Spain, Italy and Greece it takes its departure in autumn, 

 to return in April. It occurs in the Azores, Madeira and the 

 Canaries, as well as in North Africa, where its numbers are 

 augmented by migrants from the north in winter — at which season 

 it visits Egypt and Nubia. In Southern Africa it is represented by 

 the smaller and more rufous Ardetta podicipes. In Asia, our Little 



