LEAST BITTERN. 81 



the tail greenish-black. The throat and fore neck are reddish-white ; the 

 rest of the lower parts are of the same colour, excepting the fore part of 

 the breast, which is blackish-brown, the feathers tipped with reddish-yel- 

 low, and the outer tibial feathers, which are reddish. In younger indi- 

 viduals the fore neck is more or less spotted with light brown, as was the 

 case with that represented ; but in old birds that part is unspotted. 



Length to end of tail 13^ inches, to end of claws 16 ; to end of wings 

 12i*g ; extent of wings 17| ; wing from flexure 5^ ; tail 1}^ ; bill along 

 the ridge If, along the edge of lower mandible 2^; tarsus Ij^j ; middle 

 toe 1|, its claw /^j. Weight 4f oz. 



Adult Female. Plate CCX. Fig. 2. 



The Female is smaller, and differs considerably from the male in 

 colour. The bare parts and iris are the same. The upper part of the 

 head is reddish-brown, with a tinge of green ; the back and scapulars are 

 dark chestnut, and there is a line of yellowish-white along each side of 

 the back, formed by the outer edges of the feathers. The rump is darker, 

 the tail bluish-black as in the male. In other respects the colouring is 

 similar, but the feathers of the fore neck and sides have each a narrow 

 central line of dark brown. 



Length to end of tail 12 inches ; wing from flexure 4| ; tail If ; bill 

 along the ridge If, along the edge of lower mandible 2^^; tarsus l^; 

 middle toe If's, its claw ^%. Weight 3^ oz. 



Young in first plumage. Plate CCX. Fig. 3. 



The young has the bill, eyes and feet, nearly of the same tints as the 

 old ; but the upper parts of the plumage are generally of a light brownish- 

 red, variegated with brownish-yeUow ; the primary quills and tail black. 



I have lately received a letter from my friend John Bachman, stat- 

 ing that he had found this species breeding in considerable numbers on 

 the plantation of James H. Smith, Esq. six miles east of Charleston, 

 where he procured specimens both of the birds and of their eggs. Mr 

 Smith's sons had kiUed, in the course of a couple of weeks, not less than 

 fourteen of these diminutive Herons. He describes the nest as flat, com- 

 posed of pieces of dry rushes about a foot in length, and placed in a bunch 

 of Juncus eff'usus. The eggs were nearly white with a very light tinge 

 of blue. 



