LITTLE BITTERN. 
315 
GRALLATORES. 
ARDEID/E. 
LITTLE BITTERN. 
Botaurus minutus. 
PLATE LXXXIII. FIG. I. 
Amongst the many examples of the Little Bittern 
which have occurred in this country, there is a stuffed 
specimen, together with its eggs, in the Museum of the 
Natural History Society of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which 
was formerly part of the Allan or Wycliffe Museum. 
From one of these eggs the accompanying drawing was 
copied; of their history I am sorry to say that I know 
nothing, but have very little doubt that they were taken 
in this country. 
The Little Bittern is met with in various parts of 
Europe, inhabiting, like the other species, extensive 
marshy districts. It makes its nest upon large masses 
of broken reeds or rushes to raise it above the con¬ 
tact of the water, and forms it of a quantity of reeds, 
grass, and other herbage, laying from four to six eggs. 
