78 LEAST BITTERN. 



in a graceful manner with much agility, and generally kept close toge- 

 ther. I had ample opportunities of studying their natural positions, 

 and drew both of them in the attitudes exhibited in the plate. I would 

 gladly have kept them longer ; but as I was bound for the south, I had 

 them killed for the purpose of preserving their skins. 



This bird ranges over most part of the United States, but is nowhere 

 to be found in tolerable abundance excepting about the mouths of the 

 Mississippi and the Southern portions of the Floridas, especially the 

 " Ever-glades." I have met with them to the eastward as far as New 

 Brunswick, on our large lakes, and in the intermediate portions of the 

 country, although I have seldom found more than one or two at a time. 

 In the Floridas and Carolinas they have been known to breed in small com- 

 munities of four or five pairs. One instance of this was observed by my 

 friend Dr Hoelbeck of Charleston, and Dr Leitner, another friend of 

 mine, found them quite abundant in certain portions of the Florida 

 marshes. 



Although the Least Bittern is not unfrequently started in salt marshes, 

 it gives a decided preference to the borders of ponds, lakes or bayous of 

 fresh water, and it is in secluded situations of this kind that it usually 

 forms its nest. This is sometimes placed on the ground, amid the rankest 

 grasses, but more frequently it is attached to the stems several inches 

 above it. It is flat, composed of dried or rotten weeds, and in shape re- 

 sembles that of the Louisiana Heron, although this latter employs no- 

 tliing but sticks. The eggs are three or four, seldom more, of a dull 

 yellowish-green, without spots, an inch and a quarter in length, almost 

 equal at both ends. 



When the young are yet quite small, their heads are covered with large 

 tufts of reddish down, their bill is very short, and they sit on their rump 

 with their legs extended on each side before their body, in the manner of 

 young Herons. If disturbed when about two weeks old, they leave the nest 

 and scramble through the grass with celerity, chnging to the blades with 

 their sharp claws whenever this is necessary. At a later period they 

 seem to await the coming of their parents with impatience ; and if no 

 noise is made, you may hear them calhng continually in a low croaking 

 voice for half an hour at a time. As soon as they are able to fly, they 

 not unfrequently alight on the branches of trees to escape from their va- 

 rious enemies, such as minxes and water snakes, the latter of which de- 

 stroy a good number of them. 



