REMARKS ON THE BITTERNS. 79 



weapon except at the eye ; and I have noticed that the bill is opened while 

 making the stroke, the bird snapping at, rather than endeavouring to pierce, the 

 eye of its adversary. I have known two instances of birds of this species, which 

 I believe could very easily have been taken alive, occurring within a few miles of 

 the metropolis, when the ground was deeply covered with snow ; at which time 

 they appeared stupified, or were perhaps dazzled, and on being roused only flew 

 a few yards and then settled on a slight eminence, and immediately crouched, 

 puffing their plumage as has been described. Both were shot at, which I conceive 

 to have been quite unnecessary for the purpose of capture. 



The general opinion is, that the Bittern is\>f much more rare occurrence in Britain, 

 at the present time, than is actually the case ; although the great majority of 

 those which are now found may be stragglers from the Continent. Plenty of 

 them are brought every winter to the London markets, where a few days ago a 

 fine specimen was offered to me for three shillings and sixpence, and I doubt not 

 that I could have obtained it at a less price. Moreover, these specimens are 

 exposed at the stalls of poulterers who do not derive their supplies from the 

 Continent, as is done on a very large scale by several of the market people. 



Buffon and subsequent compilers have described the European Bittern as an 

 untameable species ; the fallacy of which will soon appear on a visit to St. 

 James's Park. The Ornithological Society had originally, I believe, four Bitterns, 

 of which only two are now living. One of them was struck with a stick by a 

 mischievous boy, while feeding with familiarity on what the visitors threw to it, 

 and died instantly, from the effect of the blow ; the remaining two have not, that 

 I am aware of, hitherto ventured off the island ; but I have there seen them 

 come forth from different parts of the thicket of shrubs at the " coop, coop," of 

 their feeder, and after looking a little to the right and left, with neck upraised, 

 to see that all was right, walk boldly forward and take small fishes from his 

 hand. I recommended that poultry-entrails should be given them instead of fish, 

 and they have since evinced a decided preference for the former diet. My friend 

 Mr. Bartlett kept four of the little Dwarf-bitterns for a considerable time, and 

 these also would leave fish to feed on poulterer's refuse. One of this species, 

 having purposely been kept without food for a few hours, swallowed in succession 

 seven good-sized Sprats at one meal. 



It is remarkable that the Bitterns in St. James's Park never enter the water, 

 or watch for fish, much less swim across, which the Purple Herons do occasionally ; 

 they would seem to be more diurnal than in a state of nature ; and at night 

 regularly go to roost, climbing up to the tops of bushes for this purpose. When 

 roosting they assume the defensive attitude if approached, pointing the beak 

 upward ; but the tameness of these birds prevents this remarkable habit being 

 noticed in them to the extent which I have witnessed in the wild birds. The 



