330 MR. T. E. gtinn's ornithological kotes. 



either in more or less quantity, tlie remains of small Coleoptera ; 

 in tliat of no. 1 were as many as 7 individuals ; the testes of 

 this bird were very small, and of a dark-brown colour, nearly 

 black. In the stomach of no. 10, in addition to the Coleoptera- 

 reraains, were two empty skins of a small lepidopterous larva. 



Little JBittern in Hertfordshire. — This immature specimen of 

 the Little Bittern (exhibited at the Meeting) was sent me on the 

 15th of October, 1884, by Mr. E. N. Benningfield, of Broibourne 

 Bridge, Herts, he having shot it himself two days previous in 

 the Sea-marshes at Broxbourne. It was turned out of the 

 sedges at the side of the river by his dog. On dissection it 

 proved to be a female, the ovarium being small. The body was 

 exceedingly fat, and in its stomach were the remains of aquatic 

 insects, and the tail portions of two small fish, one of which I 

 recognized as a perch ; it also contained some bits of reed and 

 vegetable fibres, these being, no doubt, accidentally swallowed 

 with its prey. The following are the exact measurements that I 

 took previous to skinning it : — 



inches. 



Total length from tip of beak to end of tail 15^ 



Tip to tip of fully extended wings 22 



In the wing from carpal joint to tip of longest primary .... 5f 



Bill along ridge of ijpper mandible 1|- 



Tarsus If 



Tibia 3 



Middle toe and claw 2 



Outer toe and claw If 



Inner toe and claw If 



Hinder toe and claw If 



The inner edge of claw of middle toe is serrated. 



Tail 2 



Weight (Avoirdupois) 4| oz. 



The second primary-feather in the wing was the longest, the first 



and third of equal length, and rather less than the second, the 



fourth and fifth and the remainder in succession each rather 



less than the preceding one. The irides of a pale straw-yellow, 



with a fine circle of paler tint around the black pupil. The 



ridge of its upper mandible was dark horn, the sides paler, 



merging into a greenish yellow from the nostril to the gape ; 



under mandible of a pale horn, with a greenish-yellow tinge at 



gape ; circle around the eye yellowish green ; a stripe of pale 



brown in front of the eye divided the circle from the gape ; tongue 



and mouth flesh-colour. Legs and toes yellow-green ; under 



surface of toes and back of tarsus lemon-yellow. Tiiis description 



