202 ardeidj:. 



distant, and bad previously been seen near tbe same place. 

 A tbird was also killed in tbe same neigbbourbood during 

 tbat summer." 



Early in September, 1839, tbe late Mr. Heysbam sent 

 tbe Autbor word tbat about two montbs previous to tbe 

 date of bis letter a beautiful pair of adult Little Bitterns 

 were sbot at or near Soutb Walsbam, wbere it was supposed 

 tbey bad a nest ; and Mr. Stevenson states tbat in one 

 instance a perfect egg was taken from a female sbot near 

 Lowestoft. In a foot-note to a recent edition (1879) of 

 Lubbock's ' Fauna of Norfolk ' (p. 90), Mr. Tbomas Soutb- 

 well says tbat Mr. Rising, of Horsey, assured bim tbat about 

 tbe year 1822-3 a nest of tbe Little Bittern was found at 

 Catfield, close to tbe parsonage, and Mr. Rising saw tbe eggs 

 in tbe possession of tbe Rev. J. Layton. 



In tbe summer of 1826 a young specimen of tbe Little 

 Bittern was sbot on tbe banks of tbe Tbames, near Windsor; 

 and it was believed to bave been bred tbere, from tbe 

 situation being favourable, and tbe circumstance of a second 

 bird in tbe same state of plumage being seen about tbe 

 same spot for several days at tbat time. 



So many examples of tbe Little Bittern bave now been 

 taken in various parts of tbis country, tbat only a brief 

 enumeration will be necessary. Montagu mentions tbat one 

 was sbot from tbe stump of a tree on tbe bank of tbe Avon, 

 near Batb; tbe late H. E. Strickland sent tbe Autbor notice 

 of one tbat was sbot in tbe spring of 1838, at Sbobden 

 Court, in Herefordsbire ; tbis species bas also been killed 

 in Sbropsbire, Soutb Wales, Cornwall, Devonsbire, Somer- 

 setsbire, Dorsetsbire, Hampsbire, Sussex, Kent, Oxfordsbire, 

 and Berksbire ; a specimen in tbe Autbor's collection was 

 killed on Uxbridge Moor, and anotber was sbot at Enfield 

 in Middlesex ; and it bas occurred in Essex. In Norfolk 

 about fifteen bave been obtained : most of tbem on Hickling 

 and Soutb Walsbam ' broads ' ; and several in Suffolk. Tbe 

 figure at tbe bead of tbis subject was drawn from a very fine 

 specimen in tbe collection of tbe late Dr. Tbackeray, at 

 King's College, Cambridge ; several bave been taken in 



