ro 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
distributed throughout Europe south of 6o° N. lat., but is only 
a summer visitor, and leaves even the Mediterranean countries 
in winter. It is, however, resident in Northern Africa, Madeira, 
and the Azores. It visits Egypt and North-ca.stern Africa in 
winter, and that it goes still farther south, I firmly believe, 
though it is difficult to prove its African range. A specimen 
from Bengucla, however, collected by the late Mr. lifonteiro, 
appears to me to be the true ArJetla niinuta, but Africa gener- 
ally is inhabited by an allied species, Ardeita podicipes, which 
differs from the European form in having the wing-coverts 
orange-buff, and the greater series lavender-grey, while the 
neck-frill is bright chestnut instead of ochreous or ashy-fulvous. 
A further distinction in the African bird is the chestnut, in- 
stead of dusky, patch on the lesser wing-coverts. 
To the eastward our Little Bittern extends to Cashmere and 
the Eastern Narra district in Sind, in both of which localities it 
breeds. It is also found, but rarely, in North-western India 
in the winter, as the Hume collection contains examples of 
the species from Delhi and Etawah. 
Habits. — The Little Bittern is a skulking species, and is, 
moreover, a night-feeder as a rule. In many of its ways it re- 
sembles a Rail, as it threads its way through the reed-beds 
with great swiftness. It will also sometimes be found in trees, 
generally sitting quite still, with its bill pointing up in the air, 
but it can move from branch to branch with great ease and 
rapidity, and does the same in the reeds, to which it manages 
to cling without difficulty when making its way from one to 
another. 
Lord Lilford, who met with this species in Corfu and the 
opposite mainland of 'I’urkey during the first fortnight in April, 
writes as follows : — “ For a few days after its arrival it may be 
met with amongst the currant-vines, in the young green corn, 
in gardens, among 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 under the circum- 
