THE BITTERN. 63 



the Last Minstrel," giving an account of Lady Margaret's 

 bridal feast, says : 



" Pages, with ready blade, were there 

 The mighty meat to carve and share, 

 O'er capon, heron, stew, and crane, 

 And princely peacock's gilded train." 



At the installation of one of the Archbishops of York 

 no less than four hundred heronshaws formed part of the 

 feast. 



Harting, in " Ornithology of Shakespeare," states that 

 one of the last records of its appearance at table was at 

 a feast given by the executors of Thomas Button, the 

 founder of the London Charter House, i8th May 1812, in 

 the hall of the Stationers' Company. For this repast were 

 provided thirty-two neats' tongues, forty stone of beef, 

 twenty-four marrow-bones, one lamb, forty-six capons, 

 thirty-two geese, four pheasants, twelve pheasant pullets, 

 twelve godwits, twenty-four rabbits, six hcarnshaws, &c. 



There are many heronries still existing in different parts 

 of the United Kingdom, and there is an old tradition that 

 the first chick hatched is always dropped from the nest : 



" The heron from the ash's top 

 The eldest of its young lets drop, 

 As if it, stork-like, did pretend 

 That tribute to its Lord to send." 



ANDREW MARVEL, " Ode to Fairfax." 



THE BITTERN. 



The BITTERN (Botaurus stellaris ; family, Ardeidce) has 

 many provincial names ; Butter-Bump, Bog-Bumper, Bull 

 o' the Bog, Mire-Drum, &c. 



This bird, now so rarely seen, was, from its solitary, 

 shy habits and its unearthly voice, formerly the terror of 

 the inmates of the outlying farms on the fens and of 

 benighted rustics ; its booming being more like the bellow- 

 ing of an enraged bull, and when heard, presaged death 

 to some one of the family or misfortune to their herds. 



