202 THE LITTLE BITTERN. 



the cavity. It lays from seven to eight eggs, of an ash- 

 green colour. It lives upon frogs, aquatic reptiles, 

 and vegetables. Though it claims affinity of form 

 with the heron, in many respects it is its exact oppo- 

 site. It is not so voracious ; it is fleshy, instead of 

 lean and consumptive-looking ; and its brood, instead 

 of being fed by the mother for many days, are in 

 three days led out to supply themselves. The young 

 of the heron are very unsightly creatures, all legs 

 and neck, while the bittern's brood have a comfort- 

 able look shortly after breaking the shell. Jardine 

 surmises that the food of the common bittern is 

 seized by watching, after the manner of the true 

 heron, and that fish and aquatic reptiles are its 

 seasonal food. He says, a land rail has been found 

 in this bird's stomach. The general appearance of 

 its plumage is that of a predominant brown-yellow, 

 with brown or black patches, or markings, fine shad- 

 ings of green and purple at the sides and neck. 



The Little Bittern (Ardeola Minuta). This bird 

 is also occasionally found, and supposed to breed in 

 this country. In form it is somewhat analagous to 

 the small egret tribe. Its particular resorts are 

 marshes, the shores of rivers, and water brush wood 

 districts. Its nests are made on the ground, and its 

 habits are skulking, stalking with the head drawn 

 closely in, so as to conceal the neck. These birds 

 have been killed as far north as Orkney, and also in 

 Ireland, although not often. The plumage is very 

 rich; blackly glazed, with green about the head and 



