BITTEEN. 105 



considerable size, and in another, a Water-Rail whole and 

 six small fishes, and Mr. Blyth in another the remains of 

 other fish and some large coleopterous insects. 



The Bittern's boom, for so is its note called, is supposed 

 to resemble the bellowing of a bull, from whence the duplicate 

 name it bears. It somewhat resembles the word assigned to 

 it. It is uttered in the spring, the season of courtship, and 

 is no doubt as sweet to the ear of the mate, as the most 

 rich thrilling quaver to the enamoured nightingale, or the 

 softest cooing to the gentle dove. Mr. Yarrell says, that 

 when roused at other times, the bird makes a sharp harsh 

 cry on rising, not unlike that of a Wild Groose, and in 

 flight, but only during the night, a 'craw, craw.' The sound 

 produced by the Bittern, is so peculiar and strange, that it 

 has given rise to various superstitions, which have borrowed 

 adventitious charms of alarm from the lonely places in which 

 the note is for the most part heard. 'The common people 

 are of opinion that it thrusts its bill into a reed that serves 

 as a pipe for swelling the note above its natural pitch, 

 while others imagine that the Bittern puts its head under 

 water, and then by blowing violently produces its boomings. It 

 begins its call in the evening, booming six or eight times, 

 and then discontinuing for ten or twenty minutes, it renews 

 the same sound.' The Bittern commonly booms while soaring 

 high in the air with a spiral flight. 



The nest is made of sticks, reeds, and other rough mate- 

 rials, and is generally placed on the ground, in the thickest 

 part of the vegetation, not far from the water's edge. Dr. 

 Thieneman says that the bird is careful to put it upon a 

 mass of fallen reeds and prostrate rushes, so as to be beyond 

 the effects of any temporary rising of the water. 



The eggs, which are of a similar shape at either end, are 

 from three to four or five in number, and of a uniform 

 pale brown colour. The female sits on them, and the male 

 brings her food while thus engaged. The young are soon 

 able to shift for themselves. 



Male; the bill, sharp on the edges and pointed, is greenish 

 yellow, the upper mandible varied with dark horn-colour 

 towards the point; from the base on each side proceed large 

 longitudinal streaks of dark brown and reddish brown; iris, 

 yellow; under it descends a streak of rich deep brown. 

 Head on the crown, which is somewhat depressed, black, 

 tinged with metallic green and purple; the feathers at the 



