BITTERN. GRALLATORES. BOTAURUS. 37 



Though deviating in some respects from the typical form of 

 Botaurus, particularly in the length and straightness of the 

 bill, which approaches closely to some of the smaller aber- 

 rant species of the genus Ardea (and forming the passage, as it 

 were, from one group to the other), I have thought it better 

 to be retained in that genus to which its affinity appears the 

 strongest, and where the proportion and form of its legs and 

 feet, and the clothing of its neck, indicate the true Bittern. 

 This bird is an inhabitant of woody marshes, particularly 

 where reeds and other aquatic herbage grow very thick, 

 amongst which it passes a solitary life, feeding upon frogs, Food, 

 the fry of fish, insects, and reptiles ; and seldom taking wing, 

 unless when suddenly disturbed. Its usual position, when 

 at rest, is that of sitting upon the whole length of the tar- 

 sus, with the neck bent, the head thrown back, and the bill 

 pointing almost perpendicularly upwards. It breeds among Nest, &c. 

 rushes, or upon hummocks in the marshes, making a large 

 nest of broken reeds, grass, and other dry materials, and 

 lays five or six eggs of a pale asparagus-green colour. It is 

 found in most of the temperate continental parts of Europe, 

 and also in Asia and Africa, wherever there are localities 

 suitable to its habits. It does not exist in America, but is 

 represented by a very nearly allied species, Ardea ex'ills. 



PLATE 6.* Fig. 1. represents the adult bird of the natural 



size. 



The crown of the head, the back, scapulars, exterior General 

 webs of the secondary quills, and the tail, are black tion 

 glossed with green. The cheeks and neck of a pale 

 sienna-yellow, tinged with lilac-purple. The wing co- 

 verts sienna-yellow ; with the throat, and under wing 

 coverts white. The under parts of the body are red- 

 dish-white, with a few hair-brown streaks upon the 

 flanks. The greater quills are greyish-black. The bill, 

 from the forehead, is two inches long, of a gamboge- 

 yellow colour ; with the culmen and tip brown. The 



