THE NEST AND EGGS. 



The frail uest of this bird is on the ground. The 

 eggs, tluve to five in number, are brownish-drab, un- 

 spotted and about two inches long by about one and 

 one-half inches broad. 



ITS FOOD. 



The Bittern feeds on fish, crayfish, frogs, tadpoles, 

 snakes, snails, different kinds of insects, particularly 

 grasshoppers and beetles. It catches mice and otlier 

 small-sized quadrupeds which it chances to come across 

 in its secluded retreats, and sometimes it will kill the 

 Toung of ducks aond Kails. 



