BRITISH BIRDS 



47 



THE BITTERN. 



UCHJ-IH'MPER, BITTER-BUM, OR MIRE-DRUM. 



(. \rdca Stellar is, Linn. Her cm grand, butor, Temm.) 



THE Bittern is nearly as large as the common 

 Heron, but its legs are stronger; body, more plump 

 and flesh}- and its neck is more thickly clothed 

 with feathers. The beak is strong at the base, 

 straight, sharp on the edges, and gradually tapers 

 to an acute point; the upper mandible is brown, 

 the under inclining to green ; mouth wide, the gape 

 extending beyond the eyes, with a dusky patch at 



