92 THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 



before taking wing. The specimen killed on the 

 22nd of December rose within a few yards of me, 

 from the rashes on the ^ leck-beds,' when I was 

 looking for Snipe, and had probably only arrived the 

 preceding night, as its stomach was empty " (Zool. 

 1856. p. 5064). The stomachs of the Bitterns that 

 Gatcombe dissected, killed near Pljanouth, contained 

 the fur of water rats and mice, vegetable fibre, the 

 elytra of beetles and many small crabs (ZooL 1879. 

 p. 205). There are several local examples in the 

 Exeter Museum ; the Earl of Morley has a bird 

 killed at Saltram ; my collection includes one killed 

 near Plymouth. Many others are in private hands. 

 Even during the mild winter of 1889-90, several 

 Bitterns were killed in the County, e.g. a fine bird 

 killed at Bradford on December 14th, and a second 

 shot at Holsworthy three days later. 



AMERICAN BITTERN.— 5ofr/z»7<s lentiginosus (Mont). 



A KARE visitant. Dr. Moore records the occurrence 

 of this North American bird in South Devon, on 

 the strength of a specimen shot at Mothecombe near 

 Plymouth, December 22nd, 1829. A second 

 example was procured in 1875, in North Devon. 

 '' Towards the end of October," writes the Rev. M. 

 A. Mathew, " A fine example of the American 

 Bittern was killed by Mr. Richards^ while shooting 

 on some high moor ground near Parracombe ; I have 

 seen this bird, which I believe is to be presented to 

 Earl Fortescue, as it was shot upon his lordship's 



