722 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
700. Boraurus ste.iaris, LD. Common Bittern. 
The Bittern is occasionally found in a few favoured localities, even 
in the neighbourhood of Cape Town ; and we are told that it breeds in 
Verloren Vley. At Zoetendals Vley we found it in great abundance; 
and early in the morning, or during the evening twilight, their 
booming call resounded from every part of the lake. Mr. Hugo, 
of Fransch Hoek, brought us a pair of eggs, unfortunately both 
broken, which he states belonged to this bird. The colour is a dark 
olive-green, smooth and shining as a duck’s. Having seen Bitterns’ 
eggs in various collections in England, we are satisfied that Mr. 
Hugo is right in his identification. 
It does not occur in Mr. Rickard’s list from East London; and 
Captain Trevelyan only met with it on two occasions near King- 
williamstown. 
Majors Butler and Feilden and Capt. Reid state that “it was by 
no means uncommon in the reed-grown vleys in the Newcastle 
district ; four or five were sometimes seen in the course of a day’s 
shooting.” Mr. Ayres says: ‘“‘I first met with these birds amongst 
the rushes in the swamps surrounding Potchefstroom, where they 
lie concealed during the day, emerging from their covert towards 
dark to seek their favourite feeding grounds; at this time they 
frequently fly over one’s head in their passage. Their flight is 
slow and laboured; and a loud harsh ‘ quirk’ is occasionally 
uttered as they pass. When wounded they are extremely pug- 
nacious, defending themselves with great pertinacity: they throw 
themselves on their backs, and, with claws and bill (which are 
both very sharp and strong) advanced, make rather a formidable 
appearance, more especially as the feathers round the neck are 
ruffled up at this time: and few dogs care to interfere with them. 
On wy first arrival in Potchefstroom I was informed by the Dutch 
that a very large snake inhabited the surrounding swamps, that 
many persons had seen it, all of whom had been alarmed, and that 
at night, during the summer months, it made a loud bellowing sort 
of noise, which I should surely hear. I at once determined to over- 
come the monster and immortalize myself. The voice I certainly 
heard at night and also in the daytime, and that when I was often a 
mile or two distant from the swamps. I gave my friends, the Bull- 
