Class II. BITTERN HERON. 15 



of notes ; the one croaking, when it is disturb- • 

 ed; the other bellowing, which it commences 

 in the spring and ends in autumn. Mr. JVil- 

 liighby says, that in the latter season it soars 

 into the air with a spiral ascent to a great height, 

 making at the same time a singular noise. From 

 the first observation, we believe this to be the 

 species of heron that Virgil alludes to among 

 the birds that forbode a tempest, 



In sicco ludunt fulicag ; notasque paludes 

 Deserit, atque altam supra volat Ardea nubem *. 



For the antients mention three kinds f; the 

 Leucon, or white heron ; the Pellos, supposed 

 to be the common sort; and the Asterias, or 

 bittern ; which seems to have acquired that 

 name from this circumstance of its aspiring " 

 flight, as it were attempting, at certain seasons, 

 the very stars ; though at other times its motion 

 was so dull, as to merit the epithet of lazy. 



Some commentators have supposed this to 

 have been the Taurus of Pliny ; but as he has 

 expressly declared that to be a small bird, re- 

 markable for imitating the lowing of oxen, we 

 must deny the explanation, and wait for the 

 discovery of the Roman naturalist's animal from 



* Georg. i. 363. 



t Arist. hist. an. IOO6. Plin. lib. x. c. 60. 



