THE BITTEKN. 



Ardea stellaris. 



HIS very handsome and stately 

 bird, once comparatively com- 

 mon in our country, is now 

 but seldom seen. No doubt 

 the ever-increasing efforts 

 made by the agriculturist in 

 draining and reclaiming 

 waste and marsh lands, is to 

 a great extent the reason of 

 its scarcity; but, whatever 

 the cause, it is much to be 

 feared that the Bittern must 

 be reckoned amongst the list 

 of those British birds that 

 are slowly but surely dis- 

 appearing from the country. 

 Even in those localities where 

 specimens are most frequently 

 to be met with, its presence 

 cannot be counted upon with 

 any degree of certainty, some- 

 times being seen with some 



i amount of frequency, and at 

 other times disappearing for 

 several seasons in succession. 



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