382 LITTLE BITTERN. 



Bittern is found breeding from the shores of the Caspian to Kashmir 

 and Sind, while it occurs in Nepal and North-western India ; but 

 eastward and southward it is represented by A. sinensis, the back of 

 which is brown instead of black, and also by A. cinnamoiiiea ; while 

 allied species inhabit Australia and America. 



The nest, made of flags and blades of grass, is placed among 

 growing reeds, and very little above the water ; or in tamarisk- 

 bushes ; but sometimes it is in pollarded willows, and occasionally 

 the bird makes use of the former abode of a Magpie, in bushes or 

 hedges near a swamp. The eggs, normally 4-5 in number, though 

 9 are said to have been found, are usually laid in the latter half 

 of May, are uniform dull white, with a greenish-grey tinge : 

 measurements i"4 by i in. When disturbed from her nest the 

 female utters a sound like ^ett, gett ; but the male emits a peculiar 

 grunting wof, wough. The food, obtained chiefly by night, consists 

 of small fish and their fry, frogs, reptiles, molluscs and aquatic 

 insects. During the day the Little Bittern skulks in reed-beds, 

 plantations of osiers, and other moist situations ; and, when disturbed, 

 climbs among the branches, and threads its way through the 

 tangled vegetation with great celerity. The late Lord Lilford 

 observed that on its arrival in Corfu and Epirus it frequented 

 gardens, orange-groves and olive-trees. It often endeavours to 

 escape notice by remaining motionless, with crossed legs, outstretched 

 neck, and bill pointing upwards : thus resembling a dry reed or a 

 dead bulrush. Mr. H. M. Wallis informs me that at Lake Varese 

 a bird had such confidence in its powers of assimilation that it 

 remained until grasped, and afterwards it sat quietly upon the 

 gunwale of his boat. 



I'he adult male has the crown, nape and back greenish-black ; 

 primaries and tail browner black ; cheeks and neck warm buff", wing- 

 coverts paler ; throat and under parts buff, with a few dark streaks 

 on the breast and flanks ; bill yellow ; legs and feet greenish-yellow. 

 Length about 13 in. ; wing 6 in. The female is a trifle smaller, and 

 diff'ers in having a brown tinge on the head, the cheeks and hind 

 neck rufous, back brown, wing-coverts brownish-buff; under parts 

 buff, much streaked with wood-brown and umber. The young at 

 first resemble the female, but the upper parts are duller in colour. 



The members of the genus Ardetta resemble the true Bitterns 

 in having only ten soft tail-feathers and two pairs of powder-down 

 tracts, whereas the Herons have twelve tail-feathers and three pairs 

 of powder-down tracts. 



