CIX. 



BOTAURUS STELLARIS. (Steph.) 

 Common Bittern. 



Although this beautiful and conspicuous bird might at 

 one time have been met with in most of the marshy districts 

 of this country, where it used to breed, there is now no hopes 

 that so large a bird will much longer remain a tenant of our 

 land, or that it can long escape the multitudes of idle gunners 

 who infest the country. The increase of population, and with 

 it that of cultivation, and the inclosure of our waste lands, is 

 daily decreasing, and will in a few years altogether extermi- 

 nate, these wild tenants of the waste. 



The nest of the Bittern is found in marshy districts, and is 

 composed of sticks and reeds, placed amongst rushes and 

 other herbage ; and is said to contain four or five eggs, resem- 

 bling the one at Fig. 1, of the plate, which was kindly lent 

 me by Mr. Yarrell. 



BOTAURUS MINUTUS. 



Little Bittern. 



A stuffed specimen of the Little Bittern, together with 

 its eggs, is now in the Newcastle Museum, and was form- 

 erly a part of the Allan or WyclifFe Museum. From one of 

 these the drawing is made ; but of their history, I am sorry 

 to say that I know nothing, and am therefore unable to deter- 

 mine whether or not they were discovered in this country. 

 The Little Bittern is met with in various parts of Europe ; 

 and is said to breed upon the ground, in marshy situations, 

 making a large nest, of reeds, grass, and other herbage, and 

 laying five or six eggs. 



