2o6 



BIRDS, BEASTS, AND FISHES 



blowing and snowing. I had my traps in a bag, along with 

 my old bess ; and up went a buttle to the top of a tree in a 

 planting, and I shot him. Lor', you would hear a lot of 'em 

 calling gaw-gaiv-gaw, in Catfield Fen when I was a boy ! 

 I remember shooting tree in five minutes there onest. 

 They are wonderful good eating — eat like a pheasant. I 

 recollect onest one came to meet me with all his bristles 

 set up and eyes open, and I knocked him over with a gun. 

 They're wonderful tame things — not shy like a harnsee — 

 a dorg will take 'em, but he must look out for his eyes. 

 They allust go straight for your eyes. They live chiefly 

 on eels, but they go walking about the land hunting for 

 worrams. You can allust tell the hen bud, she be larger nor 

 the cock. They are wonderful fond of sharp frosty nights. 

 They only bump in spring-time. I never heard more than 

 four bumps at a time — three loud bumps, and the fourth 

 soft. That is done by putting their heads inter water. 



" That were many years ago : I found their eggs. There 

 was a reed bush in Catfield fens, and I went inter it and 

 found tree buttles' nests there." 



He has never found any since, but thinks a good many 

 have'^nested in the Broadland, but cannot be found. The 

 little bittern I have only seen in "glassen boxes," as the 

 Broadsmen contemptuously call the "set-up" specimens. 



COMMON BITTERN. 



