THE BITTERN 203 



to be caught by hand. According to Dr. Docherty, these birds 

 are found on salt water lagoons on the sea shore, always hugging 

 the timber-lined side. "I have seen them in two positions." he 

 adds, "standing on the banks of the lagoon with their heads bent 

 forward, studiously watching the water, and standing straight up, 

 almost perpendicular. They live on small fishes. They are very 

 solitary, are always found alone, and stand for hours in one place. 

 They breed on the ground, in very obscure places, and are, on the 

 whole, rare birds. I have never heard their cry." 



Genus Botaurus. 



Bill serrated, about equal in length to the inner toe with claw. 

 Middle toe and claw much longer than the tarsus ; hind claw very 

 long, nearly as long as the toe. Nearly cosmopolitan. 



The Bittern. — Matuku-hurepo. 



Botaurus poeciloptilus. 



Blackish brown, varied with buff. Length of the wing, 13 to 14 in.; 

 of the tarsus, 4 in. Eye, yellow. Egg — Brownish olive; length, 2 in. 

 Australia, New Caledonia, and New Zealand. 



The bittern is not as common as it used to be. The scarcity is 

 attributed to the draining of many swamps ; but it is still often 

 seen in suitable localities. Mr. Potts says that it has an extended 

 breeding season. The nest is built of raupo or other aquatic 

 plants ; it is flat on the top, and, when built in the water, stands 

 about six inches above the surface. The eggs are four in number, 

 and are small for the size of the bird. The bittern makes a loud 

 booming noise, which may be heard for a long distance at night, 

 and which sounds something like the roaring of a bull a long way 

 off. It has a curious habit of standing for a long time with its 

 bill pointing straight up to the sky, as if it Avere studying the 

 weather. 



In a communication to the authors, Mr. C. Lewis, of Hakwell, 

 says: — "You say, 'it has a curious habit of standing for a long 



