Oedee GRAILS.] [Fam. ARDEIDjE. 



AEDETTA MACULATA. 



(LITTLE BITTERN.) 



Spotted Heron, Lath. Gen. Syn. Suppl. ii. p. 305 (1801). 



Ardea metadata, Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl. ii. p. lxiv (1801, nee Bodd., nee Vieill.). 



Ardea pusilla, Vieill. N. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xiv. p. 432 (1817). 



At detta punctata, Gray, Cat. Qrallw Brit. Mus. p. 83 (1844). 



Ardetta pusilla, Gould, Birds of Austr. vi. pi. 68. (1848). 



Ardeola pusilla, Bonap. C. B. xl. p. 722 (1855). 



Ardeola novce zelandice, Purdie, Trans. N.-Z. Inst. iii. p. 99 (1870). 



Native name. — Kaoriki. 



Ad. 3 pileo cseruleo-nigro : supercilio distincto, facie et collo lateralibus sordide ferrugineis, regione parotica 

 straminea : dorso toto nigro, plumis quibusdam brunneo, ferrugineo aut stramineo extus lavatis : 

 tectricibus alarum ochrascentibus, minoribus dorsalibus et exterioribus ferrugineis nigro medialiter 

 notatis : ala caerulescenti-nigra, tectricibus majoribus, ala spuria et remigibus ferrugineo limbatis aut 

 apicaliter maculatis : cauda, cserulescenti-nigra : gutture toto albo, utrinque ferrugineo, plumis medialiter 

 saturatius brunneis et stramineo conspicue lavatis : corpore reliquo subtus albicante, hypochondriis 

 plumis medialiter nigris, quasi striatis, ferrugineo aut stramineo marginatis : subalaribus ochrascentibus, 

 medialiter brunneis, margine alari undique albo : regione oculari flavicanti-viridi : rostro saturate 

 brunneo, lateraliter et versus basin flavicanti-viridi : pedibus lsete viridibus, tarso superiore digitisque 

 brunneo tinctis : iride aurea. 



Juv. S mari similis sed sordidior : tectricibus medianis alarum stramineis medialiter brunneis : gutture minus 

 distincte notato. 



Adult male. Forehead, crown of the head and nape bluish black ; throat and front of the neck tawny buff, 

 each feather shaded in the centre with brown ; from the chin and down the fore neck an irregular 

 streak of reddish brown ; on the sides of the neck the buff passes gradually into a rich chestnut ; and 

 this colour is continued on the sides of the head, forming a broad streak over the eyes, and another, 

 less distinct, to the angles of the mouth, mixed with tawny yellow on the ear-coverts ; underparts pale 

 buff, each feather centred more or less with black ; on each side of the chest the black predominates, 

 forming broad acuminate stripes ; the whole of the back and the feathers composing the mantle bronzy 

 black, tinged more or less with chestnut, the scapulars margined with tawny buff; quills and tail- 

 feathers bluish black, slaty on their under surface, the inner primaries, as well as their coverts and 

 most of the secondaries, tipped with chestnut brown ; the primary coverts and a patch of feathers near 

 the flexure pale chestnut, edged with fulvous, the former centred more or less with black ; the small 

 wing-coverts and the whole of the secondary coverts blackish brown, broadly edged with yellowish buff, 

 and presenting a handsome appearance. Irides golden yellow ; eyelids and bare space in front of the 

 eyes yellowish green ; bill dark brown along the ridge and at the tip, yellowish green on the sides and 

 towards the base of both mandibles ; legs and feet bright green, stained at the tarsal joint and along 

 the toes with dark brown. Length 15 inches ; wing, from flexure, 6'25 ; tail 2 ; bill, along the ridge 2 - 2, 



