THE COMMON BITTERN. 



63 



like its allies the Herons, its legs stretch out behind in 

 a line with the beak, the head being drawn up between 

 the shoulders whilst flying. It is far more nocturnal in 

 its habits than any of the Herons, and the boom or love 

 song of the male is heard at all hours of the night during 

 the breeding season, and never in the day. It is a weird, 

 unearthly noise, not to be dignified by the name of note, 

 and may be heard at a considerable distance. The bird is 

 so shy that the noise is instantly stopped on the slightest 

 alarm. Some writers have likened it to the bellowing of a 

 bull; others think it resembles the neighing of a horse; 

 whilst more imaginative ornithologists trace in it a resem- 

 blance to their ideal of demoniac laughter. It consists of 

 two parts one supposed to be produced as the bird inhales, 

 and the other as it exhales its breath. Naumann attempts 

 to express it on paper by the syllable ii-prumb, repeated 

 slowly several times. The call-note, which is common to 

 both sexes, is a hoarse croak like the ca-wak of the Night 

 Heron, or cry of a Eaven, and is sometimes heard when the 

 birds are on migration ; but the ' boom ' is only heard from 

 the reeds, and as it is uttered the bird is said to stand with 

 its neck stretched out and its beak pointing upwards." 1 



i Seebohm, British Birds, vol. ii. (1884), p. 504. 



