71 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



The Bittern belongs to a family of the wading birds, 

 and in shape and size resembles the Heron. It generally 

 feeds in the evening, concealing itself during the hours of 

 daylight in the tall reeds or flags that fringe the inland 

 marshes and fens in which it seeks its food. It is not 

 easily flushed, and when compelled to take to flight, its 

 movements, like those of the Heron, are heavy, slow, and 

 Bagging. It seldom flies for any considerable distance, but 

 drops into the first spot suggestive of safety and conceal- 

 ment. The cry of the Bittern when roused is a harsh, dis- 

 cordant note, not dissimilar from that of the Wild Goose ; 

 lint in the spring, and during the breeding season, the 

 bird makes a peculiar bellowing noise known as " boom- 

 ing/' The Bittern is by no means a safe bird to handle 

 when shot; for, unless totally disabled, it uses its beak, 

 which is long, powerful, and pointed, with great deter- 

 mination and effect. Mr. Yarrell mentions an instance of 

 one being shot, one wing being broken ; but the bird made 

 such a fierce and determined resistance to the dog, that the 

 spurt sman had to wade through the marsh himself in order 

 bo secure his prize. 



The food of this bird consists almost of any small 

 animal, fish, or reptile that it may happen to come across ; 

 fresh-water fish, frogs, and lizards being probably its most 

 usual diet. Like many other birds of a similar kind, how- 

 ever, it does not appear to exercise any very fastidious 

 scruples about its food; more than one instance is 

 recorded of a Water Rail being found in its stomach, and 

 on another occasion the bones of a large pike were dis- 

 covered. 



According to some authorities, the flesh of the Bittern 

 was at one time held in high estimation for the table, 



