COMMON BITTERN. 575 



In the choice of its food the Bittern is not very par- 

 ticular, feeding on small mammalia, small birds and fishes, 

 warty lizards and frogs, which are usually swallowed whole. 

 Sir William Jar dine has mentioned that he once took a 

 whole Water Rail out of the stomach of a Bittern. In 

 the stomach of one examined by myself in January, 1826, 

 I found the bones of a pike of considerable size, and the 

 stomach of another examined in February, 1820, contained 

 a Water Rail whole, and six small fishes. In the stomachs 

 of two examined by Mr. Blyth, two dace, the remains 

 of other fish, and some large coleopterous insects, were 

 found. 



The specimen from which the representation of the Bit- 

 tern here given was taken, was killed some years ago in 

 Denny Bog, in the New Forest, and the bird was sent me 

 by my friend Major Gilbert, of Bartley, near Lyndhurst. 

 Mr. Anderson says, that Manton Common and Twigmoor, 

 near Brigg, were favourite localities for the Bittern in Lin- 

 colnshire. It is sometimes killed in Scotland. Mr. Thomp- 

 son says some few breed in the most extensive bogs in 

 Ireland, and are occasionally met with elsewhere, but be- 

 coming gradually more scarce. 



The Bittern visits Denmark, and Scandinavia generally, 

 during summer ; and, according to Pennant, is found in 

 Russia and in Siberia, as far north as the river Lena. 

 Southward the Bittern is found generally over the Euro- 

 pean continent, inhabiting Spain, Provence, and Italy. It 

 is found at Corfu, and is resident in Sicily all the year. 

 Visits Malta in its passage to Tunis. It is found at Bar- 

 bary ; and Dr. A. Smith brought specimens from South 

 Africa. The Zoological Society have received specimens 

 sent by Keith Abbott, Esq., from Trebizond, and the Rus- 

 sian naturalists, who went with the expedition to the Cau- 

 casian range of mountains, found the Bittern inhabiting the 



