SPECIES 6 . ARBEA EXILIS. 
LEAST BITTERN. 
[Plate LX V.— Fig. 4.] 
Lath. Syn . v. iii, p. 66, JVo. 28. — Peale’s Museum, JSTo. 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 preced- 
ing 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 bufif; hind part of the neck dark chestnut bay, sides 
of the neck, cheeks, and line over the eye brown buff; lesser 
wing-coverts the same; greater wing-coverts chestnut, 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 feath- 
ers; 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 inch of the knees, middle claw pectinated; toes 
tinged with pale green; feet large, the span of the foot measur- 
