402 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



and in May 1886 two were seen near Gunnergate in Cleveland, 

 and the booming heard. 



On the coast line at the migration period it has been noted 

 on several occasions ; one was taken on the rocks at Cattersty, 

 near Saltburn, in November 1868 ; and at Saltwick, near 

 Whitby, a female specimen was captured on the shore in 

 December i8go ; while four were seen, on 13th October in the 

 same year, by two Spurn boatmen when off at sea ; the birds 

 passed close to the boat, and were described as in flight looking 

 " exactly alike fore and aft ; legs straight out behind, and 

 neck and head in front." On 21st November 1905 a male 

 example was killed by flying against the lighthouse at Spurn. 



Concerning the folk-lore and superstitions connected with 

 this bird, Samuel Crawshaw of Bulby (before quoted in Hat- 

 field's " Doncaster "), stated that an opinion was entertained 

 that the Bittern thrust its bill into a reed, that served as a 

 pipe for swelling the note above its natural pitch ; while 

 others imagined that it put its head under water and then, 

 by blowing violently, produced the booming ; old people in 

 the Doncaster neighbourhood used to recite a doggerel rhyme 

 referring to the weather prognostics from the Bittern's cry, 

 which was not uncommonly heard in their youthful days : — 



" There'll either be rain or else summat waur, 

 When Butter-bumps sing upo' Potteric Carr." 



Marmaduke Tunstall asked (MS. 1784, p. 85), " Is the old 

 error sufficiently refuted of the Bittern making the bumping 

 or bellowing noise with its bill in a reed ? It is probably a 

 cry to love as are most of the unusual cries of birds." 



Local names : — Bittor (Nevell's enthronization feast, 1466, 

 Leland) ; Bytter or Bitter (Neville's marriage feast, 1526) ; 

 Bittour or Bittor, and Night Raven (Willughby, 1678) ; Bittoun 

 (Dr. Lister of York, 1673) ; Mire Drum (Willughby, 1678, 

 Tunstall, 1784, and Graves, 1808) ; Butter Bump, Butther 

 Bump, and Bottle Bump (old names used in the neighbour- 

 hood of theCarrs); Speckled Heronshew (Loftus-in-Cleveland). 



