32 GRALLATORES. BOTAURUS. — Brrrern 7 
ing season, which commences in February, or the beginning 
of March. At this time, on the approach of twilight, it 
leaves its place of resort during the day, and rising in a spi- 
ral direction, soars to a very great height, uttering at inter- 
vals the peculiar cry, that in former days was heard with su- 
perstitious dread. It also makes the bellowing noise when 
on the ground, to assist in the production of which extraor- 
dinary note, it was supposed to thrust its bill into the hollow 
of a reed,—an idea not at all probable, and unsupported by 
any confirmatory evidence. 
Nest, kc. The nest of the Bittern is generally placed very near to 
the water, among the thickest reeds or long herbage, and is 
composed of a large mass of reeds, sticks, &c. containing 
four or five eggs of a pale asparagus-green colour, from 
which, in the course of twenty-five or twenty-six days, the 
young are produced. ‘These, as may be supposed, are at first 
very shapeless, being naked, and the neck, head, and legs 
appearing quite out of proportion to the other parts of the 
body. They are fed by the parents till fully fledged, and 
do not quit the nest until nearly able to provide for them- 
Food. selves. "The food of the Bittern consists of water-insects, 
reptiles, fish, and small mammalia, particularly moles, mice, 
and shrews. Young birds also are frequently devour- 
ed by it, and Sir Witit1am Jarpine informs me, that he 
once took a whole Water-Rail out of the stomach of a Bit- 
tern ;—a fact, however, not extraordinary, when we consider 
that the gape of this bird is very wide, and will stretch to a 
great extent, the commissure of the bill reaching behind the 
line of the eyes, and the cesophagus being, through its whole 
length, capable of much distention. The Bittern, in earlier 
times, was greatly esteemed as a luxury for the table, and 
even now it brings a good price, when exposed for sale. The 
flesh is dark-coloured, but not coarse in texture, and the 
flavour partakes of that of the Hare, combined with the pe- 
culiar taste of what are usually termed Wild Fowl. Its geo- 
graphical distribution seems confined to Europe, extending 
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