BITTERN. 95 



pose and " was transformed into the semblance of a bunch of 

 reeds." It will crouch amongst the dead and broken litter 

 in winter, with its long neck outstretched, or flatten itself 

 out with the head resting on the shoulders and the bill alone 

 pointing up. In this position, with crest erect and breast frill 

 spread, it is prepared to defend itself; it is unwise to handle it 

 without caution, for a Bittern can shoot up to full height with 

 great suddenness, and aims for the eyes. When I have walked 

 the bird up in the reed-bed it has risen a yard or two beyond 

 me in a heavy disjointed manner, its long grass-green legs 

 dangling awkwardly, but soon drew back its neck and trailed its 

 legs in orthodox heron flight. When feeding young the female 

 is less cautious, flying to and fro all day between the nest and 

 the feeding ground. On the wing the bird looks light brown, 

 cinnamon in sunlight, compact, and short necked. The flight 

 is slow and owl-like, though direct ; the wings move faster 

 than the measured beats of the Heron. Some individuals fly 

 fairly high, calling a deep agh^ agh, but others hardly clear the 

 reed tops and are difiicult to see. One bird I put up rose with 

 a short sharp cry of alarm, but another, suddenly sighting me 

 amongst the reeds as it passed to the feeding ground, gave a 

 disyllabic nawark^ nawark, as it swerved, then, rising, wheeled 

 high overhead. In the vegetation the Bittern walks or runs, if 

 disturbed, with the shoulders high and the head lowered ; it 

 slips with ease out of sight. On alighting it will stand for a 

 few moments, bill up and neck stretched, as it turns its head in 

 all directions, before sinking out of sight. 



The boom of the Bittern, familiar in literature and fable, is 

 the call of the male — a deep, bovine, resonant note, certainly 

 audible for over a mile. I have heard it all day and all night 

 in May, and listened to three or more birds answering one 

 another. The boom is repeated three or four times in succession, 

 with a one or two second interval between each note, then a 

 pause of variable duration. One bird boomed six or seven 



