COMMON BITTERN. 165 
if further confirmation of their identity were wanting, 
we have the fact, that a young bird, caught alive in the 
very same locality, on the 25th of May, was purchased 
by Mr. Cole, a bird preserver, in Norwich, on the 28th, 
and sold by him a few days later to Mr. F. Bell, jun., 
of the Bracondale nursery. From a comparison of the 
above dates, there can scarcely be a doubt, I think, that 
this nestling, which, when first seen by my friend Mr. 
Southwell, on the 10th of June, appeared about a month 
old, was the result of a more successful attempt on the 
part of the same old birds to rear their offspring. When 
captured it was partly in the down, but on the 10th of 
June, Mr. Southwell found the wing feathers well formed 
and about half grown, only a patch of down remaining 
at the back of the head. Owing to my absence from 
Norwich, I was unable to visit this most interesting 
bird until the 26th of June, when all traces of down 
had disappeared, and a slight crest was perceptible about 
the head, but the quills of the primaries still exhibited 
a very juvenile appearance. It appeared to be in 
good health, and fed heartily on small birds and fish, 
young frogs, raw meat, and worms ;* in fact seemed not 
at all particular as to its diet. Before strangers it was 
extremely shy, endeavouring to hide behind any object 
in its cage, and when in action, from its stealthy 
movements and outstretched neck, resembled some 
* Sir Thomas Browne mentions one “kept in a garden for 
two years,’ which was fed on “fish, mice, and frogs; in default 
whereof, making a scrape for sparrows and small birds, the bitour 
made shift to maintain herself upon them.” In like manner in 
“British Birds in their Haunts,” by the Rey. C. A. Johns, a captive 
heron is described as perching on an old carriage wheel in the 
corner of a court yard, and lying in wait for sparrows and martins. 
On one occasion it was seen to pierce a martin as it flew past, and 
having plunged its prey several times in a water-trough, swallow 
it entire. 
