Family ARDEIDAE. 

 Botaurus stellaris (L.) — Common Bittern. 



(Plate 121, fig. a— c). 

 (Snouckaert: Avifauna Necrlandica, p. 84, No. 198). 



Colour of surface of shell: 

 Average dimensions: 

 Average weight of shell: 

 Texture of shell: 



Shape : 



Nest: 



Site of nest: 



Number of eggs: 

 Breeding season: 

 Duration of incubation: 



olive-brown. 



53.G :•: 38.3 millimelres. 



2.G9 grams. 



smootlily granulated, with numerous pores; 

 often exhibits many long grooves. 



mostly short-ovoidal, also sometimes oval 

 or bellied. 



composed of dry reed-stems, rushes and 

 stalks of Gramineae. 



in dense reed vegetation, on procumbent 

 stems of previous years. 



5 — G (in exceptional cases more). 



May (sometimes end of April) — June. 



about 25 days. 



