ii6 



KEY TO THE A\'ATER BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 



under parts tawny white ; feathers edged with dusky and dull brown: legs greenisii yellow : a 

 loral stripe of dark brown ; bill yellowish with a dark streak at the top. 



Length, 27; Wing, 11.50: ISill. 3; Tarsus. 3.40. 



The female is smaller than the male and the bird varies very much in size. 



It ranges thfoughout temperate North America and is common on the 

 Atlantic coast, hreeding, as a rnle, north of North Carohna. It ranges in 

 winter sonth to Central America and the West Indies, heing connnon in 

 Florida in some localities. 



The eggs are iisnall}' from three to live in number, gra^'ish brown in 

 color. 



Genus ARDETTA Gray 



ARDETTA EXILI5 {Gmel'.). 

 Least Bittern. 



Adult male : Crown of the head black, extending into a small 

 crest ; back and tail black with a greenish tinge back of the neck : 

 wing coverts chestnut brown ; some of the wing coverts tawny yellow : 

 front and sides of the neck and luider parts yellowish brown, slioic- 

 ing white oti t/i7'oat ; ?iY>'^ic\\ oi brownish black on the sides of the 

 breast ; bill yellowish, dusky on the top : legs green, yellow on the 

 back : toes yellow. 



Adult female : Having the back and crown purplish chestnut in- 

 stead of black. 



Length, 12.50; Wing, 4.50: Bill, 2; Tarsus, 2.10. 



This species ranges from temperate North America 

 southward to the West Indies and Northern Sonth 

 America. 



It breeds along the Atlantic coast nearly throughout 

 its range. It is common in Florida where it breeds, being very abundant in 

 some localities. 



The nest is placed in a bunch of reeds or rushes, sometimes on small 

 bushes. 



The eggs are from four to six, pale bluish white. I have foinid as many 

 as a dozen nests of this species within a distance of fifty Nards on some of 

 the small Florida ponds, but it seems to be local, as many ponds in the same 

 locality, seemingly equally suitable, did not contain a single individual. 



