(FIG. 1.) 



Nest and Eggs of the American 

 Bittern (Botaurus minor). 



15 Y D. H. KATON. 



T^HIS bird, as far as my experience goes, 

 is, contrary to the testimony of Mr, 

 Samuels, solitary, it being very seldom that 

 more than one, or at most a pair (;an be 

 found in the same slough. Indeed it is 

 comparatively rare to find two pairs breed- 

 ing in sloughs which are very near togeth- 

 er ; oftener they are separated by several 

 juiles. 



Their nests are built of the reeds and 

 lushes growing in the sloughs. Sometimes 

 a kind of platform is built a few inches a- 

 bove the water, and fastened to the reeds ; 

 on this dried reeds and rushes are placed 

 without any attempt at arrangement, and 

 the eggs are placed in the centre. Again, 

 the nest rests on the water, and is moored 

 to the growing reeds. These nests are gen- 

 erally placed in the middle of the slough, 

 and often cover three or four squai'e feet 

 of surface. The high, thick growth of the 

 riieds com])letely hides them from view, and 

 one may pass within a foot of the nest Avith- 

 out discovdring it, unless he chances to flush 

 the bird. 



Occasionally their eggs are laid in a slight 

 liollow of the ground, on the border of a 

 small slough or wet place in a pasture. In 

 this case there is no appearance of any en- 

 deavor on the part of the birds to keep the 

 eggs or chicks from contact with tlie earth. 



Samuels says that their nests are placed 

 " on low bushes, or thick tufts of grass, 

 sometimes in low, thickly-wooded trees ; 

 and are composed of grasses, twigs and a 

 few leaves." 1 think that this may be ow- 



ing to some accident — driving them from 

 their usual haunts — for it is directly oppos- 

 ed to my observation of their habits, as well 

 as to that of other ornithologists much bet- 

 ter known than the writer of this article. 



On being frightened from the nest, the 

 bird rises, uttering a hoarse croak, and flies 

 slowly off', barely clearing the tops of the 

 rushes. It is very easily killed, a few pel- 

 lets of number 8 or 10 shot bringing it to 

 the ground. When wounded it is well for 

 the shooter to be Avary in picking it up. At 

 such times, on being approached, it throws 

 itself on its back, and with head drawn 

 back, watches its enemy closely. Let a 

 hand be approached nearer than coincides 

 j with its ideas of safety, and, like a flash, 

 I its head is thrown forward, and an ugly 

 thrust given with its sharp, strong beak. 



The eggs are from 3 to 7 in number, gen- 

 erally 4 constituting a set, 7 being a very 

 unusual number. I have never seen but 

 one set of that number, and unfortunately 

 they were so far gone in incubation that I 

 could not save all. They are of an olive- 

 green color (that is what I should call the 

 color, though perhaps drab, with a slight 

 grayish shade would be nearer ; at any rate, 

 after once being seen they can always be 

 recognized, since they never resemble in 

 color the eggs of the Herons), without spots 

 or markings of any kind. They generally 

 measure from 1.90 by 1.50 to 2.00' by 1.50, 

 though occasionally an egg will be found 

 which is very nearly round. 



Its food consists of various small aquatic 

 animals, such as crawfish, small snakes, 

 lizards, frogs, etc. It also eats insects. In 

 its ordinary movements the Bittern is slow 

 and awkward, but wiien engaged in catch- 

 ing its food, which it does by using its long 

 bill as a spear, it is veiy quick and skillful. 



