29. AKDETTA. 231 



4. Ardetta exilis. 



?Le ridron pourpre du Mexique, Bris.s. Orn. v. p. 422 (1760). 



?Le Crabier pourpre, Buff. Hist. Nut. Ois. vii. p. 402 (1781).' 



Minute Bittern, Lat/i. Gen. Si/n. iii. pt. 1, p. 66 = Jad. (17t)5). 



Mexican Heron, Lath. Gen. Syn. iii. pt. 1, p. 96(1785). 



Little Bittern, Penn. Arct. Zool. ii. p. 453 (1785i pt.). 



? Ardea spadicea, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 641 (1788). 



Ardea exilis, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 645 (1788); Wilson, Amer. Orn. 

 viii. p. 37, pi. Ixv. lig. 4 (1814) ; Auduh. B. Amer. pi. 210 : id. Orn. 

 Bioyr. m. p. 77 (1835), v. p. 006 (1839) ; id. B. Amer. 8vo, vi. 

 p. 100, pi. om (1843) ; D'Orb. in Ramon de la Sayra, H. N. Cuha, 

 Ois. p. 1^05 (183y) ; Gray, Gen. B. iii. p. 556 (1847); Schl. Mus. 

 Pays-Bus, Ardeae, p. 39 (1863) ; Gray, Hand-l. B. iii. p. 31. 

 no. 10150 (1871). ^ ' 



Ardeola exilis, Jard. ed. Wilson, Amer. Orn. iii. p. 59, pi. Ixvi. fif^.S 

 (1832); Gosse, B. Jamaica, p. 343 (1847); Bp. Consp. ii. p. 1.34 

 (18o5); Bryant, Proc. Bost. Soc. N. H. x. p. 257 (18i>6 : Porto 

 Rico) ; Sundev. (Efo. K. Vet.-Akad. Fork. Stockh. 1869, p 602 

 (Porto Rico). ' ^' 



Ardetta exilis, Gray, List Grallce Brit. Mus. p. 38 (1844) ; Gundl. 

 J.f. O. 1856, p. 345 ; Cass, in Baird, Cassin,^ Laior. B. N. Amer. 

 p. 673 (1858) ; Breioer, Proc. Bost. Soc. N H. vii. p. 308 (1860: 

 Cuba) ; Scl. P. Z. S. 1861, p. 81 (Jamaica) ; March, Proc. Philad. 

 Acad. 1864, p. 64 (Jamaica) ; Coues, Key N. Amer. B. p. 270 

 (1872) ; Scl.SfSah. Nomencl. Av. Neotr. p. 125 (1873, pt.) ; Coues, 

 B. N.-West, p. 528 (1874) ; Gundl. J.f. 0. 1875, p. 308 (Cuba) ; 

 Reid, Zool. 1877, p. 480 (Bermudas) ; Gmidl. Ann. Soc. Hsj). R. N. 

 vii. p. 360 (1878 : Porto Rico) ; Sennett, Bull. U.S. Geol. Surv. iv 

 p. 61 (1878 : Texas) ; Merrill, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. i. p. 165 

 (18/8: S. Texas); Beldiny, t. c. p. 443 (Murpliv's ; Stockton): 

 Cory, B. Bahamas, p. 174 (1880) ; A.^JS. Neiut. Handh. Jamaica, 

 p. Ill (1881) ; Ridyw. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. iii. p. 197 (1880) • 

 Coues, Check-l. N. Amer. B. p. 107 (1882) ; Baird, Breu-er, ^ 

 Ridyw. Water- B. N. Amer. i. p. 72 (1884) ; Coues, Key N. Amer. 

 B. 2nd ed. p. 664 (1884) ; Cory, List B. W. Ind. p. 28 (1885) ; 

 id. Auk, V. p. 50 (1888) ; id. B. W. Ind. p. 251 (1889): id. B. 

 Bahamas, (2) p. 174 (1890) ; id. Cat. B. W. Ind. p. 89 (1892). 

 Botaurus exilis, Reichen. J.f. O. 1877, p. 244 ; A. O. U. Check-l N 

 Amer. B. p. 1:>A (1886); Setoti, Auk, iii. p. 150 (1886: Lake 

 Winnipeg); Coojjer, Auk, iv. p. 87 (1887: Santa Barbara): 

 Rtch77i. Auk, V. p. 19 (1888: B. Columbia, breeding) ; Scott, Auk, 

 Ti. p. 16 (1889 : Florida) ; Thompson, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. 

 xiii. p. 489 (Manitoba, accidental). 



Adult male in breeding-plumage. Back, scapulars, and tail glossy 

 greenish black ; wing-coverts light clay-brown, washed with golden 

 yellow ; the small coverts round the edge of the wing cinnamon- 

 rufous or chestnut, the whole of the greater series also cinnamon- 

 rufous ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts and quills black, tipped 

 with cinnamon spots, which are obsolete on the primaries, the 

 innermost secondaries externally cinnamon, blackish down the 

 inner webs ; head and nape black ; eyebrow chestnut, as also the 

 tips of the long feathers on the sides of the neck and hind-neck, 

 wliich form a frill : ear-coverts and sides of face golden : throat, 

 fore-neck, and under surface of body white, tinged with yellowish 



