BITTERN. 503 



BOTAURUS STELLARIS. 

 BITTERN. 



(Plate 39.) 



Aidea botaurus, Briss. Orn. v. p. 444, pi. xxxvii. flg. 1 (1760). 



Ardea stellaris, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 239 (1766) ; et auctorum plurimorum — 



Latham, Temminck, Naumann, {Lonaparte), {Dresser), &c. 

 Botaiirus stellaris {Linn.), Staph. Shaw's Gen. Zool. xi. p. 593 (1819). 

 Botaums laciistris, 1 ^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ 



Botaurus arundmaoeua, 1 



Nycticorax stellaris {Linn.), Sempr. et Ehr. SyrrA. Phys. Aves, fol. m (1832 . 

 Butor stellaris {Linn.), Swains. Classif. B. ii. p. 354 (1837). 

 Ardea stellaris capensis, Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Ardeee, p. 48 (1863). 



The Bittern is occasionally found in all parts of the British Islands, and 

 may prohahly still breed in some of our largest marshes, especially in 

 Ireland and Scotland, but can scarcely be regarded as more than an acci- 

 dental straggler on migration. It was probably at one time a common 

 resident in this country. 



The Bittern breeds from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; but its range does 

 not extend very far north. It has not occurred in Norway; but in South 

 Sweden it is found up to lat. 59°, and has been shot there as late as 

 November. In West Russia it is a summer visitor as far north as lat. 

 63° ; but in East Russia and the valley of the Obb it has not been found 

 north of lat. 57". In the valley of the Yenesay I obtained a skin in lat. 

 64°, said to have been shot in that district. It is a summer visitor to 

 Lake Baikal, throughout the valley of the Amoor, and East Mongolia, 

 It is found throughout China and Japau. It is a resident in the Azores, 

 and occurs accidentally on the Canaries and Madeira. It is a resident 

 throughout Africa in all suitable localities, as far south as the Cape Colony. 

 It is a summer visitor to Europe south of the Baltic ; but on the northern 

 shores of the Mediterranean it is principally known as passing thTough on 

 migration, though a few remain to breed and a few are seen during 

 the winter. It is a resident in Palestine and Asia Minor, breeds in South 

 Russia, Persia, and Turkestan, Northern and Central India, and has 

 occurred in Burma. 



Of the habits of the Bittern a great deal has been written, but very little 

 has been observed. The mystery which attaches to a bii'd so skulking in 

 its nature that comparatively few ornithologists have ever seen it alive, but 

 which makes its presence knoWn by its extraorditiary note, causes it to be 

 regarded with peculiar interest. In this country it has become very rai*e. 



