ARDEIDA:—BITTERNS. 183 
Immature Birds: Upper plumage dull ashy-brown, the 
head darker and neck streaked with pale yellowish brown ; 
feathers of back and wing-coverts tipped conspicuously with 
pale brownish-white ; under parts whitish, somewhat obscurely 
streaked with dull brown; ridge of culmen and tip of bill dark 
brown, rest of bill yellowish ; legs and feet greenish ; irides 
brown. 
Distribution ; Inhabits Southern and Eastern Europe, 
Africa and Southern Asia. 
Habitat : Densely wooded regions in swampy localities. 
Genus ARDETTA. 
LITTLE BIFTTERN. 
Ardetta minuta (Zzvz). 
Adult Male: Crown, nape, éack, scapulars and tail black, 
glossed with green ; wing-quills black, the coverts, cheeks, sides 
of neck, and under parts generally buff, shading into white on 
chin and atvent; some of feathers at side of chest with brown 
centres ; irides, bill, lores, legs and feet yellowish, the legs 
tinged with green. Length 12 to 13 inches; culmen 2; wing 
5°85; tail 2; tarsus a 
Adult Female: Crown brownish-black ; cheeks, hinder 
part and sides of neck rufous; fore part of back and 
scapulars chestnut-brown, margine | with buff; patch on carpal 
joint rufous ; wing-quills dark brown ; fore part of throat and 
chest feathers with brown centres ; rest of plumage much as 
in male. 
Immature Birds: Closely resemble adult female, but 
more marked with buff on back, and streaked with brown on 
throat. 
Distribution: Breeds in Central Europe and Western 
Asia, ranging southward as far as Central Africa in winter. A 
rare visitor to Northern Europe. 
Habitat: River-banks, willow or reed-beds. 
