528 AEDETTA EXILIS, LEAST BITTEEN. 



ful — more action is displayed on such occasions than probably under 

 any other circumstance. As an article of food itself, the Bittern is not 

 a success, notwithstanding eminent authority to the contrary. I have 

 several times seen it brought to table, under favorable culinary circum- 

 stances ; but in each instance it furnished occasion for a Joke at some 

 one's expense, as little relished, apparently, as the meat itself. 



AEDETTA EXILIS, (Gm.) Gray. 



Least Bittern. 



Ardea cxUu, Om., Syst. Nat. i, 17H8, 645.— Lath., Ind. Ora. ii, 1790, i)K; (brwed on 

 Mhiiili: Jlillern, of Gen. Syn. v, fifi).— WUA, Am. Om. viii, 1 H14, :',7, pi. 05, /'. 4.— 

 Wa(;/.., Syst. Av. 1^27, ylrdca No. :',(;.— Nil'] 'j'., Man. ii, ltti4, (ill— Ann., Orri. 

 Bioff. iii, 18:3.5, 77 ; v, IKi'J, 606 ; pi. 2]0 ; Syn. 18;!!», Uir.', ; ii. Am. vi, iHi:',, 100, 

 pi. :',<■,(;.— GiR., B. L, I. 1844, 287.— PUTN., Pr. Ksh. iiiHt,. i, ]8.''>6, 210 (MiiHsiicIiu- 

 hbUs).— Newu., p. H. K. IJop. vi, lft.'>7, 'JH (Sacramenlo Valley, Cal.). 



Ardea (Ardcola) exllis, Bl'., 01)S. WilH. 182.5, No. I'Jl ; Syn. 1828, ;!08. 



Ardeola exilie, Bi-., List, I'^JW, 47 ; C. A. ii, 18.55, 134.— Gossio, B. Jam. 1847, :j43.— Hoy, 

 Smith.s. Ri-.p. 1864, 4:;8 (.Missouri). 



Dutor exilis, Sw., Claasif. of Birds, ii, 1837, 354. 



Ardetta i:xitin, Gkay, Gen. of B. iii, 1849; Hand-list, iii, 1871,. 31, No. 101.50 (snbgcnim).— 

 (ivsh., J. f. O. iv, 18.56, 34.5 (Cuba;.- Bi-.., B. N. A. 18.58, 673.- WnisAT., Ohio 

 Agric. Ucp. 1860, No. 186.— Scf,., P. Z. S. lrt61,81(.Juir.aica).— (Joukh & I'lncvi,, 

 Smiths. ];i;p. 1861, 41.5.— Vj:i;i;., I'r. Ess. lust, iii, 1862, 1.58 (.Maine, riroj.— 

 Ai.LKN, ihid. iv, 1864, 76 CMasHacliusetts, very rare).— iMclLWlt., ibid. V, 1866, 91 

 (Canada West, common summer resident;. — Coi;i;s, ihid. v, 1868, 290. — LAWii., 

 Ann. Lyr:. N. Y. viii, ]8(;3 (J^anama) ; 1866, 292.— Cockh, Pr. I'hila. Acad. ]'i60, 

 9.5 (Arizona).— CoLMS, J'r. Bost. Soc. xii, 1868, 123 CSouth Carolina').— iJiiHHS., 

 Ibis, 1'^.66, 32 (Texan;.— Buy., I'r. Bost. Soo. 1866 (Porto Eico).— Salv., Ibis, 

 1866 196 (•Guatemala;.— AiXKX, Mem. BrjHt. Soc. i, I'-ild, rm (Illinois).— Tri;,vj!., 

 B. K. Pa. I'i69, 28.— A;,l,i;.N-, Bull. .M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 3.59 (I'lorida, not common); 

 iii, 1''.72, 182 (Kastcrii Kansas;.— May.x., Gnidi:, 18/0, 144 (.M.-issachusettH, very 

 rare;.— Coi;j;m, Key, 1872, 270.— S.ndw, B. Kans. Ifi?:'., 9.— Biijow., Ann. Lye. 

 N. Y. X, lr;74, 3'i6 (lUiiioi.H;. 



Hab. — United States and British Provinces. Breeds tbroughout its United Stoteg 

 ran^;!!, wintering in the South. Cuba. Jamaica. Central Ameiica. (?) South America. 

 Not obtained by any of the Exx)edition8. 



Although very generally distributed, this curious little Heron Aocm 

 not appear to be anywhere abundant. 1 have seen it alive but few 

 times, and am not scry fainiliar with its habits. I have invariably 

 found it in reedy swamps — just such places as the liuils frequent- 

 where, when startled, it flies up in a manner reminding one of a Jiail. 

 Like the Bittern, it is regularly migratory, pa.s.sing northward in April, 

 and returning in September. It is said to reside in the Gulf StatcK, 

 and to be more numerous there than elsewhere. It does not apiK^ar to 

 gather in communities to breed, like most of the Herons, but is oftencst 

 found singly, in pairs, or at most, three or four pairs. It is also an 

 exception to the general rule among Herons that the sexes are alike in 

 color. It bears a curious likeness, or rather analogy, in several respects 

 to the Rails. 



The nest I have never seen. According to Audubon, it is " some- 

 times placed on the ground, amid the rankest grasses, but more fre- 

 quently it is attached to the stems several inches above it. It is flat, 

 composed of dried or rotten weeds, and in shape resembles that of the 

 Louisiana Heron, though this latter employs nothing but sticks. * * 

 * * In two instances I found the ne.sts of the Least Bittern about 

 three feet above the ground in a thick cluster of smilax and other briaiy 

 plants. In the first, two nests were X'laced in the same bush, within a 

 few yards of each other. In the other instances there was only one 



