504 BRITISH BIRDS. 



It is exclusively a bird of the marshes, and as these have been drained it 

 has been compelled to vanish. No reeds no Bitterns is the rule almost 

 without exception. On rare occasions it may be seen crossing abroad from 

 one reed-bed to another, but unless suddenly disturbed it is never seen on 

 the wing except for a second or two. Its long feet, like those of the Rails, 

 are made to traverse the swamps ; and when it is accidentally put up it seeks 

 the first opportunity to drop into the shelter of its favourite reeds as soon 

 as possible. Its flight is slow, steady, and silent, and, like its allies the 

 Herons, its legs stretch out behind in a line with the beak, the head being 

 drawn up between the shoulders, whilst flying. It is far more nocturnal 

 in its habits than any of the Herons, and the " boom" or love-song of the 

 male is heard at all hours of the night during the breeding-season, and 

 never in the day. It is a weird, unearthly noise, not to be dignified with 

 the name of a note, and may be heard at a considerable distance. The 

 bird is so shy that the noise is instantly stopped on the slightest alarm. 

 Some writers have likened it to the bellowing of a bull, others think it 

 resembles the neighing of a horse, whilst more imaginative ornithologists 

 trace in it a resemblance to their ideal conception of demoniac laughter. 

 It consists of two parts, one supposed to be produced as the bird inhales 

 and the other as it exhales its breadth. Naumann attempts to express it 

 on paper by the syllables u-prumb, repeated slowly several times. The 

 call-note, which is common to both sexes, is a hoarse croak like the ca-wak 

 of a Night-Heron or the cry of a Raven, and is sometimes heard when the 

 birds are on migration ; but the " boom " is only heard from the reeds, 

 and as it is uttered the bird is said to stand with its neck stretched out 

 and its beak pointing upwards. The Bittern rarely perches in a tree, but 

 on its first arrival at its breeding-grounds it is said to roost on a sheltered 

 branch until the reeds have grown high enough to conceal it. 



The Bittern is a voracious eater ; fish six inches long, eels twice that 

 length, and even a water-rat have been found in its stomach ; but its 

 principal food consists of small fishes, frogs, and water-insects of all kinds, 

 occasionally varied with the tender shoots of water-plants. 



The Bittern is a somewhat early breeder, and eggs may be obtained 

 during May. The nest is very difficult to find. The marshes where it 

 breeds are almost impenetrable ; the reeds are too thick to admit of a 

 boat being pushed through them, and the water and the mud make wading 

 almost impossible in the dark and sultry recesses of the reed-forest. The 

 nest is built on the mud, and is composed of dead reeds and flags carelessly 

 placed together so as to form a platform with a slight depression in the 

 centre. The number of eggs varies from three to five. They are uniform 

 huffish grey in colour, the shell is smooth and not very glossy, but does 

 not partake of the chalky character of that of the true Herons. They 

 vary in length from 2' 15 to 1'97 inch, and in breadth from T55 to 1*45 



