COMMON BITTERN. 
595 
Falcons always endeavour to rush upon it behind, 
while it is upon the wing. 
In April the nest is formed among rushes, 
and almost close to the water, though out of its 
reach ; it consists merely of an assemblage of 
broken reeds, &c. : in this the eggs are deposited ; 
they are from three to five in number, and are of 
a dull green : the young are hatched in about 
twenty^five days, and upon their first emerging 
from the egg are naked, and appear to be nearly 
all legs and neck : they do not venture abroad till 
they are about three weeks old : during this time 
they are fed upon snails, small fish, or frogs. At 
this period the male makes a singular noise, which 
is compared to the deep bellowing of a bull, and is 
continued for about two months : it has another 
curious noise, which it utters in an evening, after 
sunset in the autumn, when it soars aloft to an 
amazing height : it flies but heavily. 
The food of this bird consists of frogs, lizards, 
mice, and other small animals, as well as fish ; but 
with all this its flesh is stated to be far from dis- 
agreeable, and has a great deal the flavour of that 
of the hare. In the reign of Henry VIII. the 
Bittern was held in great esteem at the tables of 
the great, and even now the poulterers value this 
bird at about half a guinea. 
