THE BITTERN. AMERICAN BITTERN. 



Ardea Minor sive Lentiginos. 



THE INDIAN HEN. THE QUAWK. 

 THE DUNKADOO. 



THIS, though a very common and extremely beautiful 

 bird, with an exceedingly extensive geographic range, 

 is the object of a very general and perfectly inexplicable 

 prejudice and dislike, common, it would seem, to all 

 classes. The gunner never spares it, although it is per- 

 fectly inoffensive; and although the absurd prejudice, 

 to which I have alluded, causes him to cast it aside, 

 when killed, as uneatable carrion, its flesh is in 

 reality very delicate and juicy, and still held in high 

 repute in Europe ; while here one is regarded very much 

 in the light of a cannibal, as I have myself experienced, 

 for venturing to eat it. The farmer and the boatman 

 stigmatize it by a filthy and indecent name. The cook 

 turns up her nose at it, and throws it to the cat ; for the 

 dog, wiser than his master, declines it not as unfit to 

 eat, but as game, and therefore meat for his masters. 



