46 SKETCHES OP EUROPEAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



guacco. It. — Kleiner Reiher, G. Figures, natural size, of the adult 

 and of a young bird in intermediate plumage, are given. The same 

 fault is observable in this plate as in the majority of Audubon's 

 drawings, namely, too great a straining after pictorial effect. Mr. 

 Gould considers that the Little Bittern ought to form a genus fully 

 as distinct from Botaurus as this latter is from Ardea. In England 

 it is a rare bird, but it abounds in many parts of the continent, es- 

 pecially the southern provinces. " From the seclusion of its haunts 

 and the difficulty of its access, its nest is seldom seen ; it is said to 

 be placed in low bushes and tufts of herbage, amongst the thickest 

 rushes." The eggs, five or six, are pale greenish-white. The body 

 of this bird being remarkably compressed, it is enabled to elude pur- 

 suit with ease, by threading the interstices of the rushes, &c., which 

 it frequents. Like the other Herons, it frequently perches ; its 

 flight is short, slow, and heavy. Feeds on small fishes, frogs, 

 snails, insects, and the like. The sexes are similar, and the young 

 are distinguished by the absence of the green on the head and back ; 

 they pass through several stages before arriving at maturity. 



Maguari Stork, Ciconia Maguari, — Cicogne Maguari, Fr. This 

 large and handsome bird is well figured, less than half the natural 

 size. It cannot be termed a typical species, being, in fact, an ap- 

 proximation to the form of the genus Myderia ; but its habits 

 much resemble those of the White Stork. Its true habitat is Ame- 

 rica, and the bird is only an accidental visitor to Europe ; it has 

 never occurred in Britain. Nidification and eggs unknown. The 

 whole of the body is white, except the quills, secondaries, and upper 

 tail-coverts, which are glossy greenish-black ; bill greenish-yellow, 

 passing into dull blue at the tip ; tarsi and toes red. The Maguari 

 Stork is " considerably larger than the White Stork." 



Little Zapern, Zapornia pusilla, Steph., — Poule d'eau poussin, 

 Fr,, — Galinella piccola. It., — Kleines Rohrhuhn, G. An adult 

 male and a young bird, size of nature, are represented ; the figure 

 of the male is exquisite. The Little Zapern has only been met with 

 two or three times in this country, but is common in the eastern 

 parts of Europe ; raort rare in Holland and the north of France. 

 Frequents marshy tracts, but also sometimes higher grounds. It 

 dives with ease, and can remain under the water a considerable 

 time, with only the bill above the surface; it also runs with celerity 

 amongst the rushes, but is very difficult to rouse, even with the 

 assistance of dogs. Feeds on insects, slugs, seeds, and other animal 

 and vegetable matters. Nidificates among reeds, on the broken 

 stalks of rushes and various aquatic herbage, and lays seven or eight 



