LEAST BITTERN 



ii. Ixobrychus exilis (Gmelin) 

 Least Bittern 



Length 330 mm. (13.00 in.). 



Adult male. Top of head, back and tail 

 glossy greenish black; sides of head and hind- 

 neck chestnut rufous; wing coverts partly buff; 

 throat whitish shading into buff on rest of under 

 parts, the sides yellowish brown. Bill dusky 

 above, yellow below; legs greenish, feet yel- 

 lowish. 



Female and immature male. Similar to 

 male, but the back chestnut, and under parts 

 darker and lightly streaked with dark brown. 



Rare, probably chiefly a migrant. It fre- 

 quents reedy swamps, usually easily escaping 

 observation by its small size, rather slender 

 build, secretive habits and protective coloration. 



12. Botaurus lentiginosus (Montagu) 

 American Bittern 



Length unusually variable, the male gener- 

 ally larger than the female. Average about 710 

 mm. (28.00 in.). 



Sexes alike. Adults. Top of head and hind^ 

 neck slaty; a glossy black streak each side of 

 upper neck; back and wing coverts brown, the 

 feathers mottled and bordered with buff and 

 buffy yellow; throat white; rest of under parts 

 creamy buff coarsely streaked with buffy brown. 

 Bill yellow; legs olive. 



90 



