THE CRANE KIND. 325 



bittern lays its nest in a sedgy margin, or amidst 

 a tuft of rushes. The heron builds with sticks 

 and wool ; the bittern composes its simpler habi- 

 tation of sedges, the leaves of water plants, and 

 dry rushes. The heron lays four eggs ; the bit- 

 tern generally seven or eight, of an ash-green co- 

 lour. The heron feeds its young for many days ; 

 the bittern in three days leads its little ones to 

 their food. In short, the heron is lean and cada- 

 verous, subsisting chiefly upon animal food ; the 

 bittern is plump and fleshy, as it feeds upon ve- 

 getables when more nourishing food is wanting. 



It cannot be, therefore, from its voracious ap- 

 petites, but its hollow T boom, that the bittern is 

 held in such detestation by the vulgar. I re- 

 member in the place where I was a boy, with 

 what terror this bird's note affected the whole 

 village ; they considered it as the presage of some 

 sad event, and generally found or made one to 

 succeed it. I do not speak ludicrously ; but if 

 any person in the neighbourhood died, they sup- 

 posed it could not be otherwise, for the night- 

 raven had foretold it ; but if nobody happened 

 to die, the death of a cow or a sheep gave com- 

 pletion to the prophecy. 



Whatever terror it may inspire among the 

 simple, its flesh is greatly in esteem among the 

 luxurious. For this reason it is as eagerly sought 

 after by the fowler as it is shunned by the pea- 

 sant; and as it is a heavy-rising, slow- winged 

 bird, it does not often escape him. Indeed it 

 seldom rises but when almost trod upon; and 

 seems to seek protection rather from conceal- 



