188 COUNTRY RAMBLES. 



dominates, with brown stripes. The flatness of the head is well 

 worth mentioning. 



When lighted upon suddenly, this bird throws itself into all 

 manner of curious and grotesque attitudes. It has been known to 

 assume the appearance of a patch of rushes, or other aquatic herbage, 

 at times looking more like a heap of rubbish than a living bird ; but 

 when the intruder approaches too near to be pleasant, the bird ruffles 

 its plumage, extends its wings, gives a violent slap from the strong 

 wing and a thrust from the very sharp and powerful beak, and the 

 too venturesome observer may have to suffer rather acutely for 

 his inquisitiveness. It has been known to stab to the death a little 

 water spaniel, whose master had allowed the dog to approach too 

 close to the bird. Yet I am given to understand that the "Common" 

 Bittern of England, now no more, when suddenly approached gave 

 itself up as lost, and showed no fight. This information is given to 

 me by a trusty friend, who in years gone by has come across the 

 bird in the Southern counties. 



It is said that the young Bitterns are very good eating. 



The long legs and sharp bill aids the bird considerably in 

 procuring its food which consists of Frogs, Lizards, Snakes, large- 

 winged Insects, Meadow Mice, &c. The "booming" of the American 

 Bittern is apparently very similar to that of what was once our own 

 "Bull of the Bog." 



14th. Very hot, brilliant sunshine; nice breezes. Hardly so 

 oppressive as yesterday. Saw a Cuckoo to-day, but I have not heard 

 it singing this month. However, a keeper's wife tells me she heard 

 one calling up to Saturday, the 7th inst I have not often heard it 

 uttering any notes in July, my latest date being July 2nd. 



15th.- Very hot, and heat almost unbearable. So hot that the 

 birds have all day long kept in the shade of the woods, and hardly 

 uttered a note. It seems to have affected all Nature. Hardly a leaf 

 moved; a few Rabbits scampered through the bracken in a listless 

 sort of way, but the Dog's Mercury was withering quite fast at mid- 

 day. We walked over thirteen miles to and from our destination 

 to-day, but on reaching our friend the keeper's cottage it was deemed 

 advisable to rest. This we did, so that our observations for to-day 

 refer only to what we saw and heard on the way, and owing to the 

 heat those notes are somewhat restricted, especially so as we rely 

 on the seventh day for most of our notes. 



Flowers blooming: -Toadflax, Field Scabious, Oxeye Daisy, 



