LEAST BITTERN 



191. Ixobrychus exilis. 13 in. 



Male with the crown and back glossy black; female 

 with these areas hair-brown, and streaked with brown 

 below. These diminutive little bitterns are very shy and 

 retiring, and seldom seen away from the reed grown 

 marshes or ponds that they frequent. 



Notes. A hoarse croak, and a softly repeated " coo." 



Nest. A platform of dead rushes twisted about the 

 living stalks. The 3 or 4 eggs are pale bluish white. 

 (1.2x.9) ; May, June. 



Range. Breeds from the Gulf States, locally to South- 

 ern Canada; winters from the Gulf States southward. 



CORY LEAST BITTERN 



191.1. Ixobrychus neoxynus. 13 in. 

 This extremely rare little bittern is of the same size 

 and form as the common species. The crown, back, 

 wing-feathers and tail are black, and the rest of the 

 plumage is more or less intense chestnut brown. The 

 majority of specimens have been taken in Florida and 

 Ontario, with one each from, Michigan and Massachu- 

 setts. There are about twenty of them known to be 

 preserved. 



