228 BIKDS. 



istence of the bird in these islands has been shortened 

 not alone by the pot-hunter, but also by the reclaiming of 

 the marshes. I was only once, to my knowledge, within 

 reach of a bittern in this country, and even then I did not 

 see it, for the occasion was an eeling expedition not far 

 from Lowestoft, and the hour was not far short of mid- 

 night. Something large rose from out the reeds close to 

 our boat, flew, as we could plainly hear, about a dozen 

 yards only, then dropped to earth, after which we heard 

 it running rapidly away. I had only the word of my 

 attendant (an ex -poacher) for its being a bittern, and 

 such evidence would, in the opinion of the cautious 

 naturalist, "require confirmation." Still, I never knew 

 him pervert the truth when there was nothing to be 

 gained; and at any rate I like to fancy that I did 

 actually put up a bittern so near a large town. It was 

 by far the most pleasant incident of the night's outing. 

 In Australia, however, I have many a time seen an 

 almost identical bittern, and have even heard its extra- 

 ordinary booming note, uttered, not in the hushed stillness 

 of the night, but in the broad light of day. The last 

 bitterns I saw were running about a deserted estuary in 

 Central Queensland, picking up a living on small snakes 

 and frogs. This food they swallow whole and alive. In 

 uttering the note, which struck me as rather like the 

 howling of a dog, the birds would throw their head back. 

 I shall possibly be disbelieved if I say that on one 

 occasion, when walking near that same estuary after a 

 chance wallaby, with a double-barrelled shot-gun loaded 

 in my hand, I put up two bitterns, not of the common 

 species but almost as large, within half-a-dozen yards, 

 one of which, if not the brace, I could have bagged 

 with ease. But they flapped their way in peace, and it 

 will be a consolation to me, if I should live to see the 

 day when many of Australia's birds, now common, shall 

 have joined the things that were, to reflect that my gun 

 was at any rate used for the most part against creatures 



