THE COMMON BITTERN. 



BOTAUEUS STELLARIS. 



Moustaches and c^o^\^l black ; upper plumage yellowish rust-red, spotted with 

 dusky ; the feathers of the neck elongated, marked with brown zigzag lines ; 

 primaries barred with rust-red and dusky grey; plumage beneath paler, marked 

 with oblong dusky streaks ; upper mandible brown, edged with yellow ; lower, 

 orbits, and feet, greenish yellow ; irides bright yellow. Length two feet four 

 inches. Eggs dingy green. 



The association of the Bittern in more than one passage 

 of Holy Scripture with other emblems of dreariness and 

 sterility, accounts in a measure for its introduction into 

 modern poems on kindred subjects ; but it is questionable 



