Bittern. 405 



Little Bittern is common in the south-east of Europe, as well as 

 in Asia and North Africa ; is a migratory bird, of solitary habits, 

 and its usual position when at rest amidst the reeds or aquatic 

 herbage of a marsh is that of sitting upon the whole length of 

 the tarsus, with the neck bent and contracted, the head thrown 

 back, and the beak pointing almost perpendicularly upwards.* 



In Sweden it is called Dverg Hdger, or ' Dwarf Heron.' Its 

 note is remarkable, unlike that of any other bird, and both 

 loud and harsh, resembling the barking of a large dog, when 

 heard at a distance, says M. Vieillot ; or like the grunt a pavior 

 gives when dropping his, rammer, says the Kev. T. Frere.f In 

 France it is Heron Blongios and Blongios de Suisse ; in Ger- 

 many, Kleiner Reiher ; and in Portugal Garg a pequena, ' Little 

 Heron ;' but in Italy, Sgarza guacco. 



146. BITTERN (Botaurus stellaris). 



Fifty years ago this species was not uncommon in this country, 

 wherever marsh or swamp or fen invited its approach. My 

 father killed it in Gloucestershire in his sporting days, and 

 my father-in law, the Rev. T. T. Upwood, shot several in Norfolk, 

 of which one is in my collection. Even then, about 1820, it 

 was beginning to be regarded as a rare bird ; now, however, it is 

 gradually disappearing before the march of agricultural improve- 

 ments and the reclaiming of waste lands, and bids fair to be very 

 soon exterminated from amongst us. I have notes of its oc- 

 currence in many parts of the county, north and south ; and the 

 late Rev. John Ward, Rector of Great Bedwyn, informed me that 

 a specimen taken in that parish exceeded in beauty of plumage 

 any he had ever beheld. One of the finest specimens which 

 I have ever seen was killed at Enford, and was in the hands 

 of Mr. Withers, at Devizes, who was preserving it for Mr. 

 Stratton. On January 23rd, 1875, a notice appeared in the Field 

 newspaper that Mr. J. J. Estridge, of Bradford-on-Avon, had 

 killed a fine specimen half a mile from that town, and one 

 hundred yards only from the railway. On January 12th, 1883, 

 Selby in loco. Zoologist for 1849, p. 2498. 



