52 ARDEA EXJLIS. 



letting the bird remain some time undisturbed, they 

 again became yellow, and I then dix-ovrred that the 

 action of the hand had brought a How of blood into 

 them, and produced the rh;m<:> of colour. I have 

 remarked the same in those of the night heron. 



SUBGENUS III ARDEOLA. 



211. ARDEA EXILIS, GMELIN AND WILSON. LEAST BITTERN. 

 WILSON, PLATE LXV. FIG. IV. 



THIS is the smallest known species of the whole tribe. 

 It is commonly found in fresh water meadows, and 

 rarely visits the salt marshes. One shot near Great 

 Egg Harbour was presented to me as a very uncommon 

 bird. In the meadows of Schuylkill and Delaware, 

 below Philadelphia, a few of these birds breed every 

 year ; making their nests in the thick tussocks of grass, 

 in swampy places. When alarmed, they seldom fly 

 far, but take shelter among the reeds or long grass. 

 They are scarcely ever seen exposed, but skulk during 

 the day ; and, like the American bittern, feed chiefly in 

 the niifht. 



Tliis little creature measures twelve inches in length, 

 and sixteen in extent ; the bill is more than two inches 

 and a quarter long, yellow, ridged with black, and very 

 sharp pointed ; space round the eye, pale yellow ; irides, 

 bright yellow ; whole upper part of the crested head, 

 the back, scapulars, and tail, very deep slate, reflecting 

 slight tints of green ; throat, white, here and there 

 tinged with butt'; hind part of the neck, dark chestnut 

 bay ; sides of the neck, cheeks, and line over the eye, 

 brown buft'; lesser wing-coverts, the same; greater 

 win^-cnvrrts, chestnut, with a spot of the same at the 

 bend of the wing; the primary coverts are also tipt 

 with the same; wing-quills, dark slate; breast, white, 

 tinged with ochre, under which lie a number of blackish 

 feathers; belly and vent, white; sides, pale ochre; 

 legs, greenish on the shins, hind part and feet, yellow ; 



