36 AKDEID.E 



1842. In the early part of the last century this species 

 was resident in Ulster, Munster and Connaught (Ussher). 



In the olden days the Bittern was very common in the 

 East Anglian Fens ; like the Heron it was esteemed a great 

 delicacy, indeed a luxury for the Royal table, consequently 

 this bird and its eggs were protected by law. 



Geographical distribution. The Bittern breeds in 

 Southern Europe, Asia as far east as Japan, and North 

 Africa, including the islands off the west coast. In spring 

 it migrates as far north as lat. 60 in Europe and Western 

 Asia. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Top of head and nape 

 of neck, black ; primaries and wing-coverts, barred with 

 black and reddish-brown ; ground-colour of the rest of the 

 plumage, buff, barred and vermiculated with black ; neck- 

 feathers elongated, forming an erectile frill. 



Adult female nuptial. Similar in plumage to the male. 



Adult winter, male and female. Similar to the nuptial 

 plumage. 



Immature, male and female. Primaries and wing- 

 coverts, brownish. 



BEAK. Greenish-yellow. 



FEET. Bright green ; toes, very long. 



IEIDES. Yellow. 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH 28 in. 



WING 13 



BEAK 2'75 



TABSO-METATARSUS 3*8 ,, 



EGG 2'1 X 1'5 in. 



Allied Species and Representative Forms. B. capensis 

 is the South African representative. 



