6 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. xm. 



Vincent and myself (see Brit. B., V., pp. 90-7). There is good 



evidence to prove that one or two pairs have nested there 



regularly ever since. In addition to these, in 1917 a nest 



with two half-fledged young was found in another locality. 



In 1918 I knew of seven nests within an area of four square 



miles, making nine in all for that year. Two more pairs are 



said to have nested on some marshes several miles from the 



original breeding site. 



The following is a list of dates for some of the 1918-19 



nests : — 



1918. 

 ist pair. March 24th. — Four eggs, two hatched by April ist ; young 

 drowned out, April i6th. 

 April 28th. — Second clutch of two eggs. Nest and eggs 

 destroyed, cause unknown, May i6th. 

 2nd pair. Nest found April 3rd, four eggs, two only hatched. 

 3rd pair. Nest found May 19th, five eggs, three hatched by May 27th. 

 4th pair. Nest found June 20th, two nearty fledged j'oung. 



1919. 

 ist nest. April 8th, one egg; April 17th, five eggs; first young 



hatched. May 3rd ; last young out May 8th; all five hatched. 

 2nd nest. Found April 17th, five eggs. One young out on i8th and 

 one chipping. All out when nest was next visited on April 26th. 

 3rd nest. Found April 17th, five eggs; all out by May nth. 



The Bittern is more or less gregarious, or at any rate sociable, 

 in its habits. Two pairs were found nesting in close proximity 

 last year, and two more pairs within a square mile. They do 

 not require a big breeding area in order to supply the young 

 with food. Such food as Bitterns require is always plentiful 

 in the fen country. The young are fed largely on fish. Eels 

 seem to be swallowed whole, or in halves, according to the 

 size of the eel and the capacity of the bird. One half-grown 

 Bittern I picked up in the reeds promptly disgorged one eel 

 nine inches long, and seven inches of another eel. The youngest 

 of a brood of three on another occasion regurgitated a nice 

 little fillet of fish which had been beautifully prepared for him. 

 The gullet of the young Bittern on these occasions swells out to 

 the size of a fowl's egg. One realizes then that the capacity 

 for storing away food in the adult bird must be considerable. A 

 man at Sutton told me recently that he picked up three young 

 frogs from one nest, each one nipped on one side and flattened 

 out on that side. 



