THE LEAST BITTERN. 101 



ral positions, and drew both of them in the attitudes exhibited in the plate. 

 I would gladly have kept them longer; but as I was bound for the south, I 

 had them killed for the purpose of preserving their skins. 



This bird ranges over most part of the United States, but is nowhere to 

 be found in tolerable abundance excepting about the mouths of the Mississippi 

 and the southern portions of the Floridas, especially the "Everglades." I 

 have met with them to the eastward as far as New Brunswick, on our large 

 lakes, and in the intermediate portions of the country, although I have sel- 

 dom found more than one or two at a time. In the Floridas and Carolinas 

 they have been known to breed in small communities of four or five pairs. 

 One instance of this was observed by my friend Dr. Holbrook of Charles- 

 ton, and Dr. Leitner, another friend of mine, found them quite abundant in 

 certain portions of the Florida marshes. 



Although the Least Bittern is not unfrequently started in salt marshes, it 

 gives a decided preference to the borders of ponds, lakes or bayous of fresh 

 water, and it is in secluded situations of this kind that it usually forms its 

 nest. This is sometimes placed on the ground, amid the rankest grasses, but 

 more frequently 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 Loui- 

 siana Heron, although this latter employs nothing but sticks. The eggs are 

 three or four, seldom more, of a dull yellowish-green, without spots, an inch 

 and a quarter in length, almost equal at both ends. 



When the young are yet quite small, their heads are covered with large 

 tufts of reddish down, their bill is very short, and they sit on their rump 

 with their legs extended on each side before their body, in the manner of 

 young Herons. If disturbed when about two weeks old, they leave the nest 

 and scramble through the grass with celerity, clinging to the blades with 

 their sharp claws whenever this is necessary. At a later period they seem 

 to await the coming of their parents with impatience; and if no noise is 

 made, you may hear them calling continually in a low croaking voice for 

 half an hour at a time. As soon as they are able to fly, they not unfre- 

 quently alight on the branches of trees to escape from their various enemies, 

 such as minxes and water-snakes, the latter of which destroy a good number 

 of them. 



In two instances, I found the nests of the Least Bittern about three feet 

 above the ground, in a thick cluster of smilax and other briary plants. In 

 the first, two nests were placed in the same bush, within a few yards of each 

 other. In the other instance there was only one nest of this bird, but several 

 of the Boat-tailed Grakle, and one of the Green Heron, the occupants of all 

 of which seemed to be on friendly terms. When startled from the nest, the 

 old birds emit a few notes resembling the syllable quel, alight a few yards 



