Ardetta exilis
Nests of Mel. palustris [Melospiza palustris] and A. phoeniceus [Agelaius phoeniceus]
1875. Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
May 27 [May 27, 1875] the water, the other built between some
upright slender stalks was barely a foot
above the ground and almost entirely
concealed by a canopy of dry grasses.
While wading nearly up to my waist
in water I flushed an Ardetta exilis
which rose from a clump of water plants
and topping some alder, disappeared.
Arrived as I was only with the little
Stevens piston I refused the flying shot and
following on came across the bird
perched on an tall bush over the 
water; as I caught sight of it, it also
saw me and with a feeble flutter essayed
to rise, but apparently finding the
twigs too thick resumed its perch again
balancing itself on the slender branch with
[delete]much app[/delete] seeming difficulty and after
watching it a moment I shot it. It
proved a [female] and judging from the
swollen oviduct and presence of 
two eggs in the ovaries as large as a gooseberries
I [delete]judg[/delete] thought it probable that several 
had already been laid though I was
unable to find any signs of a nest
where the bird rose. Distending the
slender neck to a most noticeable
degree was a young bream about four
inches long: this fish was quite fresh 
and perfect and a careful examination
revealed not the slightest scratch on its
scaly form whence I infer that the
bird must pick up its prey instead 
of piercing it with the bill. Saw a pair of
Nyctiardea gardenii & heard Hylas singing