HERODIONES. 227 



(Swinhoe, IbiSj 1875, p. 455), and there are three examples in the 

 Pryer collection from Yokohama. Mr. Ringer has also procured it 

 at Nagasaki, where the examples obtained by the Siebold Expedition 

 were also doubtless procured (Temminck and Schlegel, Fauna Ja- 

 ponica, Aves, p. 116). 



The breeding-range of the Bittern extends from the British Islands 

 across Europe and Asia, both north and south of Mongolia, to Japan. 



213. BOTAURUS SINENSIS. 

 (ORIENTAL LITTLE BITTERN.) 



Ardea sinensis, Grmelin, Syst. Nat. i. p. 642 (1788). 



The Oriental Little Bittern is a small bird (wing from carpal joint 

 5 to 5^ inches), with white or buff axillaries, and the tibise completely 

 feathered to the joint. 



Figures : Gray and Hardwicke, 111. Ind. Zool. i. pi. 66. fig. 2. 



The Oriental Little Bittern or Yellow Bittern is found in all the 

 Japanese Islands. There are numerous examples from Yokohama in 

 the Pryer collection, and Captain Blakiston sent me one from Hako- 

 dadi. There are two examples in the Norwich Museum sent by 

 Mr. Ringer from Nagasaki; they do not differ from Chinese ex- 

 amples in the Swinhoe collection (Seebohm, Ibis, 1879, p. 27). 



It is a tropical species, resident in India, Ceylon, the Malay 

 Peninsula, many of the Islands of the Malay Archipelago, and 

 China. 



214. BOTAURUS EURHYTHMA. 



(SCHRENCK'S LITTLE BITTERN.) 



Ardetta eurhythma, Swinhoe, Ibis, 1873, p. 73. 



Schrenck's Little Bittern is a small bird (wing from carpal joint 

 5 to 5^ inches), with grey axillaries, and the tibia not quite feathered 

 to the joint. 



Figures : Swinhoe, Ibis, 1873, pi. 2 (adult) ; Schrenck, Reis. 

 Forsch. Amur-Lande, i. pi. 13. fig. 3 (young) . 



Schrenck's Little Bittern has occurred several times in Yezzo 

 (Blakiston and Pryer, Trans. Asiat. Soc. Japan, 1882, p. 118) . There 



q2 



