Class II. BITTERN HERON. 17 



It builds its nest with the leaves of water plants Nest. 

 on some dry clump among the reeds, and lays 

 five or six eggs, of a cinereous green color. This 

 bird and the heron are very apt to strike at the 

 fowler's eyes, when only maimed. The food of 

 the bittern is chiefly frogs ; not that it rejects 

 fish, for small trouts have been met with in its 

 stomach. In the reign of Henry YIII. it was 

 held in much esteem at our tables ; and valued 

 at one shilling. Its flesh has much the flavour 

 of that of a hare ; and nothing of the fishiness of 

 that of the heron, ,.w•^f4,^ .^;,,, \^- , ;::::^t>-i\^&?&% 



" The Bittern is every where less frequent 

 than the heron, though found in both temperate 

 and warmer latitudes, perhaps not very far north. 

 Is said to inhabit the greater part of Africa; 

 and is certainly found on the coast of Bar^bary, 

 at the Cape of Good Hope, and also in India and 

 China, The Amei^ican is smaller, probably a 

 variety of the European species." J. L. ^ 





VOL. II. 



