306 THE BITTERN 



long toes. Eyes yellow, as in many owls. The bird 

 can draw in its neck and cover it with feathers in such a 

 way that only its long legs betray its species as being 

 that of the Heron. The nest stands always alone in 

 thick reed-beds near standing water. The eggs are 

 usually three to five in number, and are pale bluish- 

 green in colour. 



