172 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



retirement in some quiet spot. It is chiefly to be observed during the 

 early morning hours, but apparently feeds by day and not by night. 

 Except during the breeding-season, or when actually on passage, it 

 can hardly be called a sociable or gregarious bird, like the preceding 

 species. When migrating, however, it is generally to be found in 

 small parties and occasionally in very large flocks. It is a silent bird 

 as a rule, but has a low deep note. Its flight is slow, but capable of 

 being sustained for a considerable length of time. It feeds chiefly on 

 frogs, small fish, worms and water-insects. It breeds in colonies, at 

 times numbering many hundred individuals, but isolated pairs may 

 often be found. The nest is placed either on the ground, or in low 

 trees, and is a slight flat structure formed of twigs and rushes. The 

 eggs, four or five in number, are greenish-blue and measure about 

 38 X 28 mm. 



ARDEOLA MINUTA (Linnaeus). 

 LITTLE BITTEEN. 



Ardea minuta, Linn. Syst. Nat. i, p. 240 (1766) ; Malherbe, Cat. Bais. 



d'Ois. Al,j. p. 20 (1846) ; Whitakcr, Ibis, 1895, p. 104. 

 Ardeola minuta, Bonap. Comp. List Birds of Eur. £ N. Amcr. p. 48 



(1838) ; Lochc, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, p. 139 (1867). 

 Ardetta minuta, Sluupc, Cat. Birds Brit. Mas. xxvi, p. 222 ; Kcenig, 



J. f. 0. 1888, p. 275 ; id. J. /. 0. 1893, p. 88 ; Erianger, J. f. 0. 1900, 



p. 39. 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from North Tunisia. 



Crown, back, scapulars and tail glossy greenish-black ; ear-coverts, sides 

 of neck and nape vinous-buff ; quills dull brownish-black ; greater upper 

 wing-coverts light grey, median and lesser wing-coverts yellow-buff ; uuder- 

 parts yellow-buff, becoming whitish on the abdomen and under tail-coverts. 



Iris bright orange-yellow ; eyelid and bare space round eye pale greenish- 

 yellow ; bill greenish-yellow, darker above. 



Total length 9'50 inches, wing 5-75, culmen 1-90, tarsus 1-75. 



Adult female, spring, from North Tunisia. 



Head brownish-black ; sides of the head and neck chestnut ; back and 

 scapulars chestnut-brown, margined with fulvous-buff; underparts dull 

 yellow-buff' streaked with brown. 



Soft parts as in male ; measurements rather less. 



The young bird resembles the female, but has the underparts rather more 

 streaked. 



