counties, in a condition of plumage that entirely pre- 

 cluded the idea of their having crossed the channel, or, 

 indeed, of their ever having flown for more than a very- 

 short distance. Although the Little Bittern can in no 

 sense be termed "common" in our islands, it would be 

 equally incorrect to call it very rare, and I find in 

 Yarrell at p. 203 (vol. supr. cit.) that " there is probably 

 not a county in England in which it has not been 

 observed"; it has also occurred occasionally in Scotland 

 and Ireland. I never myself met with this species in a 

 wild state in England, although I am convinced that I 

 have heard its note in Northamptonshire, but I made a 

 fairly intimate acquaintance with it in the Ionian Islands 

 and the province of Epirus, and it is on my experiences 

 in that part of the world that I give the following 

 remarks : — The Little Bittern arrives in Corfu and on 

 the opposite mainland of Turkey during the first fort- 

 night of April, and for a few days after its arrival may 

 be met with amongst the currant-vines, in the young 

 green corn, in gardens, amongst the rocks of the sea- 

 shore, and often perched in olive- or orange-trees at a 

 considerable height from the ground ; from the actions 

 of my dogs I believe that when these birds are disturbed 

 in covert they often sneak off in a crouching attitude 

 with long strides, after the manner of a Rail, but quite 

 as often, when closely approached, they behave in the 

 same way as the Common Bittern in similar circum- 

 stance, — drawing themselves out to their full length 

 with every feather tightly compressed, and beaks point- 

 ing straight to the sky, so as to present as narrow a 

 front view as possible, with the object of attempting to 



