104 BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 



men, stuffed by himself, was killed some years since 

 at Fillingham near Gainsborough in the northern 

 division of Lincolnshire. 



159. BOTAURUS MINUTUS (Linnseus) . Little 

 Bittern. 



A recent appearance of this rare bird in this county 

 was in the spring of 1870, when an adult male 

 was shot on the 20th of May near Gainsborough by 

 a gamekeeper. Mr. Richardson, of Beverley, received 

 this bird in the flesh. 



Mr. Boulton had a fine mature male in his collec- 

 tion, shot in Lincolnshire some years since. 



An immature female was shot on the Mere near 

 Scarborough, in August 1863 (Zool. p. 8770). 



160. BOTAURUS STELLARIS (Linnaeus). Common 

 Bittern. 



Provincial. Butter-bump. 



This species, formerly so well known in the eastern 

 counties, can now only be considered a rare and 

 accidental visitor, the drainage of the fens and 

 marshes and the various agricultural improvements 

 of the last half century having completely broken up 

 all its old haunts, and rendered the district quite 

 unsuitable as a residence and breeding-place. From 

 all I can learn, they became extinct as residents in this 

 neighbourhood from forty to fifty years since; in 



