BIEDS OF EGYPT. 271 



283. BoTAURUs STELLARis (Linn.). Bittern. 



Very plentiful in Lower Egypt and the Fayoom, but less 

 common in other parts of Egypt and Nubia. This scarcity 

 is probably to be accounted for by the absence of reeds in 

 those parts. It feeds chiefly at night, and reposes during 

 the day amongst the rank marsh vegetation, where it is very 

 easily approached. In the Fayoom I got within a few yards 

 of a flock of about twenty that were perched up in the reeds, 

 reposing, as is their habit, during the day. 



Feathers on the top of the head and neck long ; crown of 

 the head and nape black, a brownish-black patch extending 

 from the gape under the ear-coverts ; remainder of the 

 plumage sandy buff, mottled with brown, chin and centre of 

 the throat palest ; back strongly mottled with blackish brown ; 

 quills and primary-coverts dusky brown, irregular^ barred 

 and marked with rufous buff; remainder of the wing-feathers 

 and tail irregularly barred with brown ; down the centre of 

 the throat the brown forms irregular lines and bars on the 

 sides of the neck ; legs olive ; beak yellowish brown, shading 

 into dark brown towards the culmen ; irides brown. 



Entire length 28 inches ; culmen 2"9 ; wing, carpus to tip, 

 12'5 ; tarsus 3'7. 



Fig. Gould, B. of Eur. pi. 280. 



284. BoTAURUS MiNUTUs (Linn.). Little Bittern. 



The Little Bittern ranges throughout Egypt and Nubia, 

 but is of rather rare occurrence. I only shot it on one occa- 

 sion, near Koos, on the 26th of April, when I met with it 



