222 HERONS AND BITTERNS 
with equally strange contortions, as if the bird were horribly nauseated, 
and are preceded by a succession of quick snapping or gulping sounds— 
“hiccoughs,’”’ one observer has called them. No water is employed 
in the operation, in spite of the circumstantial assertions of several 
persons who profess to have seen the bird swallowing and then 
ejecting it. Braprorp ToRREY. 
Brewster, Wo., Auk, 1911, 90-100 (display of plumes). 
191. Ixobrychus exilis (Gmel.). Least Bittern. Ad. ¢.—Top of head, 
back and tail shining black; back of neck chestnut-rufous; most of the greater 
wing-coverts and outer vanes of the secondaries darker; lesser wing-coverts 
and part of greater ones buffy; underparts, including under tail-coverts, 
washed with buffy; a blackish patch at each side of the breast. Ad. 9.— 
Similar, but head browner and back light, glossy umber; underparts darker 
and more or less streaked with brownish. Im. ~.—Similar to ad. ¢, but the 
back washed and tipped with chestnut; underparts darker and lightly 
streaked with black. Im. ¢.—Similar to ad. 9, but the back rufous, mar- 
gined with buffy ochraceous. L., 13°00; W., 4°60; Tar., 1:60; B., 1°80. 
Range.—Temperate N. A., and n. S. A. Breeds from s. Ore., s. Sask. 
s. Man., s. Que., and N.S. s. to the West Indies and Brazil; winters 
from Fla. and Gulf of Mex., southward. 
Washington, not very numerous S. R., May 5-Sept. 25. Long Island, 
common S. R., May-Sept. Ossining, tolerably common S$. R., to Aug. 10. 
Cambridge, local S. R., May 15-Aug. 1. N. Ohio, not common S. R., Apl. 
20-Sept. 20. Glen Ellyn, local S. R., late spring and summer records only. 
SE. Minn., common 8. .R. 
Nest, a platform of grasses, reeds, etc., in marshes among rushes, some- 
times in a small bush, usually over water. Eggs, 3-6, pale bluish white, 
1°20 x ‘92. Date, Ft. Thompson, Fla., Mch. 25; Mt. Pleasant, S. C., May 1; 
Cambridge, June 1; Pewaukee, Wisc., May 27. 
Wet, grassy marshes such as Rail love, or reed-grown ponds that 
Gallinules frequent, are the resorts of these retiring, secretive little 
birds. With outstretched necks and lowered heads they make their 
way without difficulty through the jungle of roots and stalks. Some- 
times they climb up a slender reed, and, hanging on like Marsh Wrens, 
survey their surroundings. They take wing almost from beneath one’s 
feet, and, with a low, frightened qua, fly slowly for a short distance and 
then drop back into the grass. During the breeding season one may 
hear what presumably is the voice of only the male—a soft, slowly 
repeated, dovelike coo, coo, coo, coo, coo. It floats over the marsh like 
the voice of a spirit bird. 
1900. Cuapman, F. M., Bird Studies with a Camera, 62-75 (nesting). 
191.1. Ixobrychus neoxenus (Cory). Cory’s Least Brrrern. Ad. 
@.—Above shining greenish black, tail the same; wings black, their coverts 
rich chestnut; underparts chestnut, sides black. Ad. ¢.—Similar but black 
area duller, chestnut areas slightly paler. W., 4°30; Tar., 1°40; B., 1.80. (See 
Chapman, Auk, 1896, 11-19.) 
Range.—Imperfectly known. Breeds in s. Ont. and s. Fla.; occurs 
casually in Mass., Mich., and Wisc. 
Nest, ‘‘of willow twigs, lined with maiden cane leaves; in a low bush two 
and a half feet above the water.” Young two-thirds grown, Lake, Flirt, 
Fla., June 8, 1890. (Scott, Auk, 1891, 309.) 
