Range. - Common throughout the United States, especially in the eastern part, and in the southern British provinces.

This small variety of Bittern is very common in the southern portions of the United States, but less so and locally distributed in the northern portions of its range. They are very quiet and sly birds, and their presence is often unsuspected when they are really quite abundant. When approached, they will remain perfectly quiet, with the body erect and the head and neck pointed skyward, in which position their yellowish brown plumage strongly resembles the rushes among which they are found. Their nests are made of strips of rushes woven about upright stalks, generally over water. They lay from three to five eggs of a pale bluish white color. Size 1.20 x .90. Data. - Avery's Island, La., May 1, 1896. Four eggs. Nest of strips of rushes woven together to form a platform and fastened to saw grass growing on the bank of a stream. Collector, E. A. Mcllhenny.

Pale bluish gray

Pale bluish gray.

Least Bittern. Cory's Least Bittern

Least Bittern. Cory's Least Bittern.

191.1. Cory's Least Bittern. Ixobrychus Neoxenus

This rare species, of which about twenty specimens are known is probably resident in Florida, wandering north in the summer, specimens having been taken in Ontario, Canada, and in several localities in eastern United States. It is very different from the Least Bittern, having a more uniform chestnut coloration, especially on the under parts. It is twelve inches in length. Mr. C. W. Crandall has a set of five eggs of this species, taken on the Caloosahatchee River, Fla., April 15, 1891, by S. B. Ladd. nest was made of grasses and rushes placed in the cane two feet above the water.

191 1 Cory s Least Bittern Ixobrychus Neoxenus 339191 1 Cory s Least Bittern Ixobrychus Neoxenus 340