of the Delta of the Rhone. 197 



north of the Camargue, in localities where there were trees. 

 One was observed in the Petite Camargue, and another 

 among cover close to the Crau. 



Pandion raliabtus (Linn.). 



Two Ospreys were observed in the Camargue on the 17th 

 of May, and were undoubtedly migrating. Both were hover- 

 ing over etangs in the western district of the Delta. 



Ardea cinerea, Linn. 



A solitary bird flying over the waste to the east o£ Saintes 

 MarieSj on the 15th of May, was the only example of the 

 Common Heron seen in the Delta or elsewhere. 



Ardea purpurea, Linn. 



The Purple Heron was common in the numerous marshes 

 of the Camargue, whose vast areas of reeds afford the bird 

 suitable haunts, and was the only Heron that we did not 

 find to be rare in the Delta. In a small open space among 

 the reed-beds bordering the Etang de Gines was found a 

 larder of this bii-d — a floating circular mass — containing 

 about one hundred eels, three snakes, and several cyprinoid 

 fishes, all of which showed distinctly the stab of the Heron^s 

 bill. 



Nycticorax griseus (Linn.). 



A single Night-Heron seen in a ditch near the margin of 

 the Etang de Gines, on the 15th of May, was the only bird 

 of this species observed by us in the Camargue or else- 

 where in the Bouches-du-Khone. 



BOTAURUS STELLARIS (Liuu.). 



The booming of the Bittern was heard in the Marais de 

 Meyranne on the 23rd of May. It was not heard in the 

 great reedy marshes of the Camargue, though tlie bird is 

 doubtlessly common there. 



Ardetta minuta (Linn.). 



The Little Bittern was quite common in the neighbour- 

 hood of Aries, especially on the reedy margins of the Canal 

 de Bouc, and also in the Marais de Meyranne, both near the 

 east bank of the Grand Rhone. 



