285 



Major St. John shot an immature bird in the marshes of Shiraz, and a second, in full plumage, 

 near Tehran. Dr. Jerdon writes (B. of India, ii. p. 757) that it is " found throughout Central 

 and Northern India, but is rare or wanting in the south. I have known of its having been killed 

 in the Deccan, and I have shot it in Central India and Bengal ;" and Mr. A. O. Hume speaks of 

 it as being very abundant in Upper Sindh. Severtzoff writes that it breeds in Turkestan, in the 

 north-eastern, south-eastern, and north-western portions of the country, and is rare during winter 

 in the north-western portion. It breeds to an altitude of about 1000 feet, and occurs during 

 passage and in winter up to 3000 or 4000 feet above the sea-level. It inhabits Eastern Siberia, 

 but is recorded by Dr. G. Badde as rare. He killed a female near Kulussutajeffsk on the 2nd 

 May 1856 ; and one was brought to him at Tschita on the 5th May 1857. Dr. Taczanowski also 

 writes (J. f. O. 1873, p. 106) that, according to Dr. Dybowski, it is rare in Dauria during migra- 

 tion, arriving about the middle of May, and breeds on the lakes near Gunka. Mr. Swinhoe says 

 that it occurs throughout China; but Pere David considers it uncommon at Pekin. Messrs. 

 Temminck and Schlegel's collectors obtained it in Japan ; and they say that their specimens are 

 identical with the European bird. 



In its habits the Bittern is a somewhat mysterious, peculiar bird, seldom seen during the 

 day-time, unless suddenly surprised and driven from its hiding-place, where it rests at day, and 

 only begins to move about as the dusk of the evening sets in. Reed-covered marshy localities 

 are its favourite haunts, especially when the tract covered by these reeds is large and difficult of 

 access ; for there it can remain all day undisturbed. It never flies round during daylight of its 

 own accord, and even when flushed flies off with a somewhat laboured flight, like an Owl in the 

 sunshine, and drops again into the densest portion of the reed-thickets, where it is hard to put 

 up again. Even when a dog is sent in to flush it, and the reeds are high and dense, it will climb 

 up above the surface of the mud or water amongst the reeds, and trust thus to escape observation. 

 It does not appear to pass the day in sleep ; or at least it sleeps very lightly, as its call may at 

 times be heard, and the rustling amongst the reeds and flags seems to indicate that it is moving 

 about ; but only after sunset does it appear to become more active and bestirs itself in search of 

 food. Its position when seated amongst the reeds is peculiar, and I have more than once come 

 across one sitting without at first realizing that it was not an old stump or a bundle of dried 

 flags. Sometimes the feathers are as if drawn in ; and as the bird sits with its head pointed 

 upwards it is hard to believe that it can be a living bird. But it does not always look so pecu- 

 liarly thin and stake-like ; for when sitting at ease it frequently puffs the feathers out rather than 

 draws them in ; and although the neck is curved, as most of the Herons frequently hold it, yet 

 the heavy feathering on the neck hides the contour and makes it appear as if it were a short, 

 thick-necked bird ; and should it suddenly stretch its neck, it shoots it out as if from a scabbard, 

 and one cannot help being astonished at its great length so suddenly displayed. 



When winged or wounded it is by no means an easy task to get hold of it ; for it defends 

 itself with great pluck and determination, throwing itself back and using bill and claws as 

 weapons of defence, and I have seen a dog get considerably the worst of it in an attack on a 

 wounded bird. 



Its flight is soft and noiseless, like that of a great Owl ; and when on the wing its neck is 

 drawn in, and looks quite short, and its legs are stretched out behind the tail. It flies lazily, 



