427 



Class II. WHITE HERON. 



fmall one of the fize of a lapwing, fhot near 

 Shrew/bury, He adds no more than that the crown 

 of the head was black : as this anfvvers the defcrip- 

 tion of a kind frequent in Switzerland and Au- 

 ftria*, we imagine it to be a ftrayed bird from 

 thofe parts. 



It builds its neft with the leaves of water plants 

 on feme dry clump among the reeds, and lays five 

 or fix eggs, of a cinereous green color. This 

 bird and the heron are very apt to ftrike at the 

 fowler's' eyes, when only maimed. The food of the 

 bittern is chiefly frogs ; not that it rejects fifh, for 

 fmall trouts have been met with in their ftomachs. 

 In the reign of Zfcary VIII. it was held in much 

 efteem at our tables ; and valued at one milling. 

 Its flefh has much the flavour of a hare ; and no- 

 thing of the fifhinefs of that of the heron. 



Le Heron blanc. Belon a<v. Ardea Candida, le Heron 175. Whit 

 A , 191 ' Wane. Brijfon av.M '. 428. 



ardea alba. Gefner av. 213. GroiTer weiffer Rager. Kram. 

 Jf urner ' 346. Scopoli, No. 126. 



Vil. cm. 279. Ardea alba. Lin. fy/l. 230. 



tan fyn. av. g$. Faun. Sutc. fp. 166." 



Br. Zool. 117. 



T 



HIS bird has not fallen within our obferva- 

 tibnj therefore we mud give Mr. JVilhighbfs 



* Kramer Blench, anim, Auftria, 348. 



account 



