104 THE LEAST BITTERN. 



of the same colour, excepting the fore part of the breast, which is blackish- 

 brown, the feathers tipped with reddish-yellow, and the outer tibial feathers, 

 which are reddish. In younger individuals the fore neck is more or less 

 spotted with light brown, as was the case with that represented; but in old 

 birds that part is unspotted. 



Length to end of tail 13^ inches, to end of claws 16; to end of wings 

 I2 T 4 2; extent of wings 17f; wing from flexure 5i; tail lj|-; bill along the 

 ridge If, along the edge of lower mandible 2 -J; tarsus 1 T 8 ^; middle toe 1^, 

 its claw T 5 2. Weight 4f oz. 



Adult Female. 



The female is smaller, and differs considerably from the male in colour. 

 The bare parts and iris are the same. The upper part of the head is reddish- 

 brown, with a tinge of green; the back and scapulars are dark chestnut, and 

 there is a line of yellowish-white along each side of the back, formed by the 

 outer edges of the feathers. The rump is darker, the tail bluish-black, as in 

 the male. In other respects the colouring is similar, but the feathers of the 

 fore neck and sides have each a narrow central line of dark brown. 



Length to end of tail 12 inches; wing from flexure 4f; tail If; bill along 

 the ridge If, along the edge of lower mandible 2^; tarsus 1^; middle toe 

 1 T 5 2, its claw T 5 2. Weight 3 J oz. 



Young in first plumage. 



The young has the bill, eyes and feet nearly of the same tints as the old; 

 but the upper parts of the plumage are generally of a light brownish-red, 

 variegated with brownish-yellow; the primary quills and tail black. 



I have lately received a letter from my friend John Bachman, stating 

 that he had found this species breeding in considerable numbers on the 

 plantation of James H. Smith, Esq., six miles east of Charleston, where he 

 procured specimens both of the birds and of their eggs. Mr. Smith's sons 

 had killed, in the course of a couple of weeks, not less than fourteen of these 

 diminutive Herons. He describes the nest as flat, composed of pieces of dry 

 rushes about a foot in length, and placed in a bunch of Juncus effusus. The 

 eggs were nearly white, with a very light tinge of blue. 



In an adult male preserved in spirits, the interior of the mouth is of the 

 same structure as in the other Herons; the tongue 1 inch 4 twelfths long, 

 very slender, trigonal, tapering to a point. Width of mouth 5 twelfths. 

 (Esophagus S inches long, its width at the upper part 1 inch 2 twelfths, 

 gradually tapering to 8 twelfths, and within the thorax enlarged to 10 

 twelfths. Belt of proventricular glandules ^ inch in breadth. Stomach large, 

 1 inch in diameter, its tendons 3 twelfths in breadth, its walls extremely thin, 

 being quite membranous. The contents are three small fishes, and remains 

 of others. Lobes of the liver unequal, the right li inches, the left 1 inch in 



