THE COMMON BITTERN AND THE WHITE STORK. 389 



in Scandinavia, very few having hitherto heen met with, and 

 those in Sweden. Its proper home would seem to be the 

 more midland and southern portions of Europe. Its re- 

 sorts are represented to be wooded districts, for the most 

 part near to lakes, ponds, and morasses, amongst reeds 

 and the like. It constantly keeps itself concealed, runs 

 amongst the grass, and will not willingly take wing. Ac- 

 cording to Kjserbolling and other naturalists, it is exceedingly 

 rare in Denmark. Migrates.' 



The Common Bittern (Rordrum, Sw. ; A. stellaris, Linn.) 

 was very scarce in my part of the country, but nevertheless 

 occasionally met with, as well in the reed- beds in the Gotha, 

 as on the neighbouring coast. During the summer months 

 it is found, though somewhat sparingly it would appear, 

 throughout all the more southern parts of Scandinavia ; but 

 with its limits to the northward Swedish naturalists are 

 unacquainted. It would seem to be somewhat scarce in 

 Denmark. Migrates. 



The Danish fauna includes two other species of the genus 

 Ardea namely, the Squacco Heron (A. comata, Linn. ; A. 

 ralloides, Scop.), and the Common Night-Heron (A. nycti- 

 corax, Linn.), both inhabitants of south-eastern Europe, 

 which have been found in a few instances in the Duchies 

 of Schleswig and Holstein. 



The White, or Common Stork (Hvit Stork, Sw. ; Ciconia 

 alba, Ray) was rarely seen in my vicinity ; but on the 

 neighbouring coast, according to M. von Wright, it is not 

 uncommon in the spring. It did not breed with us, how- 

 ever, though I have known it -to do so near to Gothenburg. 

 It is very common during the summer months in the 

 southern provinces of Sweden more especially in those of 



