The Argentine Little Bittern 283 



and perched him on my hand, upon which he flew only 

 fifty or sixty yards off, and dropped into the dry grass. 

 Here he again put in practice the same instinct so ably that 

 I groped about for ten or twelve minutes before refunding 

 him, and was astonished that a creature to all appearance 

 so weak and frail should have strength and endurance 



Little Bittern in reed-bed. 



sufficient to keep its body rigid and in one attitude for so 

 long a time." 



An interesting corollary to this story was told me by 

 my friend, Mr. F. V. McConnell, who has explored with 

 Mr. J. J. Quelch, the well-known Director of the Museum 

 at Georgetown in British Guiana, the slopes of Roraima and 

 the savannahs of the interior of the country. On a recent 



