1 86 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS. 



small fish, frogs, and insects. The Purple Heron is 

 very retiring in its habits, preferring thick reed beds 

 and dense swamps. The Rev. F. Morris says that as 

 many as fifty fish have been found in the stomach of 

 one bird. 



LITTLE BITTERN (Botanrus minutus). This bird, 

 the smallest representative of the A rdeida in Britain, 

 is a rare summer visitor to this country ; but although 

 so irregular in its appearance here, many examples 

 have occurred at various times in different counties. 

 Yarrell records one which was taken in Berkshire, 

 but he has omitted to note either the date or the 

 locality. Another was shot on the Thames, near 

 Monkey Island, ten or twelve years ago, and was 

 brought to Eton for preservation. The Little Bittern 

 has more than once been procured near Surley, and 

 many years ago a few were taken in the neighbour- 

 hood of Maidenhead. One was killed near Newbury 

 about twenty years since ; and Mr. Wolley kindly 

 informed me of a fine specimen which was shot by a 

 person named Brion, on Queen's Eyot, near Windsor, 

 in the summer of 1860. The Rev. L. Jenyns men- 

 tions its appearance on the river near Windsor; it 

 has once occurred in Buckinghamshire, near Ux- 

 bridge, on the borders of the county. 



There is no reason why this species should not 

 breed here in favourable localities if unmolested, and 

 a young specimen which Yarrell states was obtained 

 on the banks of the river near Windsor in the summer 



