escape observation from the similarity of the plumage of 

 their necks and breasts to the brown and yellow tints of 

 the reeds, flags, and other aquatic vegetation amongst 

 which they are often to be found. The nest of this 

 species is usually, but not invariably, built amongst 

 growing reeds : one before me as I write is composed 

 entirely of dry flag-leaves, and contained five white eggs 

 with a very faint tinge of green ; this nest was taken in 

 the summer of 1890 from the vast reed-beds in the 

 neighbourhood of Valencia. The food of the Little 

 Bittern consists of small fishes, reptiles, and insects of 

 all sorts. A friend informs me that one of these birds 

 in his possession supported itself to a great extent by 

 catching the mice and lizards that came into the aviary 

 in which it was kept in the island of Tenerife. 



Some forty years ago a good many Little Bitterns 

 were frequently sent alive from Holland to Leadenhall 

 Market, but of late years I have had no offer of this 

 species from that quarter : most of these birds were 

 adults that had been snared at their nests, a large pro- 

 portion of them were injured about their heads, and 

 seldom lived for any length of time, but I have had fair 

 success in keeping the few young birds that I have 

 obtained ; they are, however, delicate, and very restless 

 at night, they frequently become very tame, and their 

 extraordinary attitudes and grotesque actions are very 

 interesting, but, as a rule, they are shy of observation. 

 The only note that I ever heard uttered by this species 

 is, to my ear, best rendered by "woogh," "woogh," — a 

 sort of deep guttural cough. Although, as I have above 

 stated, the Little Bittern, on its first arrival, may be met 



