88 BULLETIN 15 5, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



IXOBRYCHUS EXILIS EXILIS (Gmelin) 

 LEAST BITTERN, MARTINETE CHICO, CBABIER 



Ardea exilis Gmelin, Syst. Nat., vol. 1, pt. 2, 1789, p. 645 (Jamaica). 



Crabier des Mangles, Descourtilz, Voy. Nat., vol. 2, 1809, pp. 231-233 (one). 



Ardea minuta, Bitter, Naturh. Iteis. Westind. Insel Hayti, 1830, p. 157 

 (specimen). 



Ardetta exilis, Tippenhatter, Die Insel Haiti, 1892, p. 323 (listed). 



Ixobrychus exilis, Bartsch, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, July 27, 1917, p. 

 132 (Haiti, listed).— Petess, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. 61, 1917, p. 397 

 (Monte Cristi). 



Ixobrychus exilis exilis, Bond, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 80, 



1928, p. 490 (Trou Ca'iman, Port-de-Paix, Lake Enriquillo). — Danforth, Auk, 



1929, p. 361 (Laguna del Salodillo). 



Resident; local in distribution. 



In the Dominican Republic Peters found a few least bitterns in 

 reed-grown swamps near the mouth of the Rio Yaqui del Norte at 

 Monte Cristi on February 20, 1916, and Danforth saw one at La- 

 guna del Salodillo, near Copey, June 26, 1927. Bond has recorded 

 them from Lake Enriquillo. 



In Haiti Bartsch reported the bird near Glore on the Etang 

 Saumatre April 3, 1917 and secured five at Trou Caiman on April 

 4. Later Abbott collected three at the Etang Saumatre on March 

 6, 8, and 9, 1918. Wetmore flushed one in a swamp grown with 

 saw-grass at the Etang Miragoane on April 1, 1927. Descourtilz 

 says that he captured one in his hand but does not give the locality. 

 Bond reports that they are abundant at Trou Caiman, and found 

 them also at Port-de-Paix. 



The least bittern frequents the rushes of lowland swamps, usually 

 being found in aquatic growth standing in the water. It is seldom 

 that men penetrate its chosen habitat as there is little there to at- 

 tract invasion so that this heron may be seen seldom though fairly 

 common. The birds often turn the striped breast toward an in- 

 truder rather than take to flight, when with bill pointing straight 

 in the air their form simulates the surrounding growth of rushes 

 so closely that the eye does not readily single them out. When they 

 do flush they fly out with dangling legs, uttering protesting, croak- 

 ing notes. 



Part of the adult least bitterns that we have examined from 

 Hispaniola and Porto Rico are paler below than the average from 

 the eastern United States, possibly indicating that the Antillean 

 bird is separable. There is such variation in depth of color that we 

 call attention to this matter with the suggesion that West Indian 

 birds be collected in considerable series before attempt is made to 

 establish their status as a distinct race. The matter is complicated 



