ARDEID^E. 357 



near Enfield : he also supposes it to have bred on 

 the Thames. Instances of its breeding in Eng- 

 land, though certainly not numerous, probably occur 

 oftener than is supposed, as it is a small bird, easily 

 overlooked, and frequents boggy and sedgy places, 

 where it may well remain concealed. 



The nest is said to be placed near the water, 

 amongst flags and rushes, and attached to upright- 

 growing reeds : it is made of rushes, dry willow- 

 twigs, flags and grass. 



According to Yarrell the food of the Little Bitterr* 

 consists of the fry of fish, frogs and other small rep- 

 tiles, Mollusca and insects ; but Meyer says that he 

 has been assured by a very trustworthy observer 

 that he had never found anything but fish in the 

 stomach of the Little Bittern : Meyer adds that in 

 confinement it will feed on large fish cut in pieces, 

 raw meat, boiled potatoes, j^oung frogs, &c. ; so pro- 

 bably in a wild state it does not confine itself entirely 

 to a fish diet, especialty if hungry. 



This very Little Bittern for although the neck 

 and legs are long in proportion to the body, the body 

 itself does not much, if anything, exceed in size that 

 of the Missel Thrush is a very pretty miniature of 

 its big brother, next to be mentioned. One pecu- 

 liarity is common to both that there are no feathers 

 on the back of the neck, but only a little down. The 

 beak, lore and irides are yellow ; the top of the head 

 is black ; the cheeks, ear-coverts and sides of the 



