37 



LEAST BITTERN. 



ARDEA EXILIS. 

 [Plate LXV.— Fig. 4.] 



Lath. Ill, p. 66. wVo. 28. — ^Peaie's Museum, JVo. 3814. 



THIS is the smallest known species of the whole tribe. It 

 is commonly found in fresh water meadows, and rarely visits the 

 salt marshes. One shot near Great Egg Harbour was presented 

 to me as a very uncommon bird. In the meadows of Schuylkill 

 and Delaware below Philadelphia, a few of these birds breed 

 every year ; making their nests in the thick tussocks of grass, in 

 swampy places. When alarmed they seldom fly far, but take 

 shelter among the reeds or long grass. They are scarcely ever 

 seen exposed, but skulk during the day ; and, like the preceding 

 species, feed chiefly in the night. 



This little creature measures twelve inches in length, and 

 sixteen in extent ; the bill is more than two inches and a quarter 

 long, yellow, ridged with black, and very sharp pointed; space 

 round the eye pale yellow; irides bright yellow; whole upper part 

 of the crested head, the back, scapulars and tail very deep slate 

 reflecting slight tints of green ; throat white, here and there tinged 

 with buff*; hind part of the neck dark chesnut bay, sides of the 

 neck, cheeks, and line over the eye brown buff* ; lesser wing-co- 

 verts the same ; greater wing-coverts chesnut, with a spot of the 

 same at the bend of the wing, the primary coverts are also tipt 

 with the same ; wing quills dark slate ; breast white, tinged with 

 ochre^ under which lie a number of blackish feathers ; belly and 

 vent white; sides pale ochre; legs greenish on the shins, hind 

 part and feet yellow ; thighs feathered to within a quarter of an 



VOL. VIII. K 



