THE BITTERN. 11 



being said to be quite equal to that of the Heron ; a recom- 

 mendation, it may be added, which would not perhaps 

 weigh very much in the estimation of the modern public. 



The nest is built of sticks, reeds, and rushes, placed on 

 the ground generally close to the water's edge, and always 

 amongst thick, coarse vegetation. The eggs number four 

 or five, of a pale brown colour, and about two inches or a 

 little more in length. The nests are, however, very rarely 

 found. The process of hatching is said to occupy about 

 four weeks, and the young birds remain in the nest until 

 they are very nearly able to take care of themselves. 



The beak of this bird is a greenish-yellow, the upper 

 mandible being dark horn colour towards the point ; the 

 lore is green, the irises yellow; the top of the head is 

 black, tinged with bronze-green ; the feathers at the back 

 of the head are varied with transverse bars of black and 

 pale buff ; all the upper parts of the body and wings are 

 a rich brownish-buff, irregularly marked with black and 

 reddish-brown ; the tail is reddish-brown, varied with 

 black. The cheeks and sides of the neck are buff, and the 

 latter are marked with narrow lines of dark brown. From 

 the base of the beak and down the front of the neck are 

 large streaks of dark brown and reddish-brown. The 

 feathers of the breast are blackish-brown, with broad buff 

 margins; the feathers of the neck do not extend all the 

 way round, the back of the neck being covered with a 

 thick down ; the under-surface of the body is buff, with 

 narrow streaks of dark brown ; legs and feet are of a 

 grassy-green colour ; claws pale horn colour, the middle 

 claw being toothed like a comb. The Bittern measures 

 about thirty inches, and the plumage of the female and 

 young resembles that of the male in all the essential features. 



