370 LITTLE BITTERN. 



numbers are augmented by migrants from the north in winter — at 

 which season it visits Egypt and Nubia. In the Transvaal, and, in 

 fact, south of the parallel of the Gaboon, it is represented, according 

 to Mr. J. H. Gurney, by the smaller and more rufous Ardctta 

 podicipes. In Asia our Little Bittern is found breeding from the 

 shores of the Caspian to Cashmere, and occurs in Nepal and North- 

 western India; but eastward it is represented by A. sinensis, \}c\& 

 back of which is brown instead of black : while nearly allied species 

 inhabit Australia and America. 



The nest is often a solid structure of flags and bits of grass, 

 attached to upright growing reeds, and very little above the water ; 

 but sometimes it is built in the heads of pollarded willows, and occa- 

 sionally 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 uniform dull white : average 

 measurements 1*4 by i in. They are usually laid in the latter half of 

 May, and incubation lasts sixteen or seventeen days. When disturbed 

 from her nest the female utters a sound like gett, gett; but the male 

 emits a peculiar grunting wof, wof. 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. It often 

 escapes notice by remaining motionless, with outstretched neck and 

 bill pointing upwards — resembling a dry stick or reed, whence its 

 appropriate Dutch name Woud-aapje, meaning ' Wood-ape.' 



The adult male- — represented in the illustration — 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 differs 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 Ardetia resemble the true Bitterns 

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

 tracts, whereas the Herons have three pairs of the latter and twelve 

 tail-feathers. 



