CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 127. 
nests I found were in small ponds in a meadow nearly surrounded 
by woods, and were built three successive years, in one or other of 
the two ponds among the flags of last year’s growth, in one case 
floating in two feet of water. The complement of five eggs, 
once of six, was laid by the 26th of May, and in one case incubation 
had commenced some days previously. The fourth nest I found 
was in an open, but wet meadow, and the nest was formed of grass 
in a springy place, very unlike the others. On the 3rd of June the 
five eggs were much incubated. (Rev. C. J. Young.) This species 
is rather common in the large marshes in western Ontario. It 
makes a bulky nest in a dry portion of the marsh and lays four or 
five eggs, generally four. It nests sparingly throughout all south- 
western Ontario. Nests have been frequently reported near 
London. (W. Saunders.) 
Nests in the reeds and grass in nearly all marshes. On June 29th, 
1892, found a nest at Indian Head, Sask., containing five eggs. 
The nest was built on a mass of last year’s rushes about eighteen 
inches above the water and consisted of the same materials. The 
bird feeds upon mice, snakes, frogs and almost anything that has 
life and that it is able to swallow. (Spreadborough.) 
Breeding in large numbers at Crane lake, Sask., in the marshes. 
The nest is generally on old dead grass in one or two feet of water, 
but one containing two eggs partly incubated was found on dry 
ground on June oth. On the 20th I found many nests but in 
nearly all, the eggs were so much incubated that they were unfit 
to take. Most of the nests contained four or five eggs. One nest 
was taken which had five eggs in it, one of which was that of the 
lesser scaup. (Macoun.) 
LXXII. ARDETTA Gray. 1842. 
191. Least Bittern. : 
Ardetta exilis (GMEL.) GUNDL. 1856. 
A rare summer resident along the Bay of Fundy between Black 
river and Mispec, New Brunswick. (Chamberlain.) Accidental at 
Quebec. (Dionne.) Rare in the district of Montreal but perhaps 
more plentiful than we think, as it is retiring in its habits. (Wvntle.) 
A summer resident near Ottawa. Known to build. (Ottawa 
