Birds of Celebes: Ardeidae. 
855 
“Irides yellow; legs and beak pale yellowish green, the latter dusky on its 
ridge” (Kelhain 9). 
Female. The female has the black of the head restricted to the middle of the crown and 
' nape, the sides of crown pale chestnut and the feathers of forehead broadly edged 
with 'the same; a plait-stripe of pale rufous down the middle of the throat; wing- 
covex-ts less clear buff (Q, Tomohon, 22. IV. 94; Sarasin Oolh). 
Young. Differs fx’om the adult in haring the feathers of head above chestnut-red with blackish 
centre-streaks, those of back dark brown with tawny-buff edgings; wing-coverts buff 
with dark centi’e-streaks ; under parts streaked with bi’own, on throat and breast vrith 
orange-rufous (Tondano, Aug. — Sept. 1892 — 0 10982). 
Measurements (6 adults from Celebes). Wing 125— 136 mm; tail 41—46; tarsus c. 46; middle 
toe with claw c. 47— 50; exposed culmen c. 49— 53. 
Eggs. “East Indian eggs are faint blue, and measure 29 X 24 mm” (Nehrkorn MS.). See, 
also, Hume 18. 
Nest. In a tussock of grass, or bxinch of reeds, or platform of rushes (Doig 18). 
Distribution. Askold Id., S. E. Siberia (Jankowski 24); Japan (Blakiston & Fryer 2); 
Marianne Is. (Quoy & Gaimard 22); Pelew and Caroluxe ls. (Kubary 22); China 
(Swinhoe 8, David 5, etc.); Formosa (Swinhoe S); Cochin Cliina (Germain c 2); 
India (Blyth, etc. 7, 8, 18]\ Ceylon (Legge, etc. 7); Andamans and Nicobars (Hume, 
Str. F. n, 311); Burmah (Oates 11); Tenasseruu (Davison 6); Perak and Singapore 
(Kelham’ 2 ); Sumatra (Davison 7, Modigliani 20); Nias (Modigliani 14); Java 
(Horsfield 8, Yorderman 13)] Borneo (Schwaner, Everett 76'); Plnhppines 
(Leschenault S, Bourns & Worcester 26); Sooloo (Guillem. 42); N. Celebes: — 
Miuahassa (Fischer a 4, Faber in Dresd. Mus., etc.), Gorontalo (Meyer 3 in 
Dresd. Mus., Rosenberg h 2, etc.); Flores (Wallace S); Timor (fide Heine & 
Reichenow 17>‘% Moluccas — Termite (Rosenb. 8); Amboina (Beccari 8); Ceram 
(Wallace 28); New Britain (Finsch 8 ; Australia (Brit. Mus., Cockerell 25,28); 
Seychelles (E. Newton, Lantz c 2). 
Specimens of the Little Yellow Bittern from Celebes are somewhat rare 
in collections, perhaps rather on account of the difficulty of shooting it among 
the scrub and reeds of its marshy haunts than by reason of its actual scarcity 
in the island. So far it has been recorded only from (or near) the two large 
lakes of the Northern Peninsula, Tondano and Limbotto. There is reason to 
suppose that it breeds there, as it has been killed in summer, viz. at Limbotto 
in July by Meyer, at Tondano in August or September by our native collectors. 
But in China the bird is only a summer visitor, and it is probable that in its 
winter migrations it may reach Celebes. It has been found on such far distant 
islands as^the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, and the Mariannes and Carolines 
in the Pacific, a result most likely due to straggling during its migrations. 
Ardetta sinensis has its strongest affinities with the Ifittle Bittern of Europe 
and Western Asia, A. minuta, and the latter’s geographical representatives, 
A pusilla (V.) of Australia and New Zealand, A. podicipes Bp. of S. Africa and 
Madagascar, A. exilic (Gm.) of N. America, and A. erythromelas (V.) of S. America; 
but these forms differ from it conspicuously in having the back black. Ardetta 
cinnamomea and A. eurythnm, which occui- in Celebes with the present species, 
may he distinguished from it at all ages by their having the first joint of the 
