32 GRALLATORES. BOTAURUS. BITTERN. 



ing season, which commences in February, or the beginning 

 of March. At this time, on the approach of twilight, it 

 leaves its place of resort during the day, and rising in a spi- 

 ral direction, soars to a very great height, uttering at inter- 

 vals the peculiar cry, that in former days was heard with su- 

 perstitious dread. It also makes the bellowing noise when 

 on the ground, to assist in the production of which extraor- 

 dinary note, it was supposed to thrust its bill into the hollow 

 of a reed, an idea not at all probable, and unsupported by 

 any confirmatory evidence. 



Nest, c. The nest of the Bittern is generally placed very near^to 

 the water, among the thickest reeds or long herbage, and is 

 composed of a large mass of reeds, sticks, &c. containing 

 four or five eggs of a pale asparagus-green colour, from 

 which, in the course of twenty-five or twenty-six days, the 

 young are produced. These, as may be supposed, are at first 

 very shapeless, being naked, and the neck, head, and legs 

 appearing quite out of proportion to the other parts of the 

 body. They are fed by the parents till fully fledged, and 

 do not quit the nest until nearly able to provide for them- 



Food. selves. The food of the Bittern consists of water-insects, 

 reptiles, fish, and small mammalia, particularly moles, mice, 

 and shrews. Young birds also are frequently devour- 

 ed by it, and Sir WILLIAM JARDINE informs me, that he 

 once took a whole Water-Rail out of the stomach of a Bit- 

 tern ; a fact, however, not extraordinary, when we consider 

 that the gape of this bird is very wide, and will stretch to a 

 great extent, the commissure of the bill reaching behind the 

 line of the eyes, and the esophagus being, through its whole 

 length, capable of much distention. The Bittern, in earlier 

 times, was greatly esteemed as a luxury for the table, and 

 even now it brings a good price, when exposed for sale. The 

 flesh is dark-coloured, but not coarse in texture, and the 

 flavour partakes of that of the Hare, combined with the pe- 

 culiar taste of what are usually termed Wild Fowl. Its geo- 

 graphical distribution seems confined to Europe, extending 



