AMERICAN BITTERN. 507 



It is not known that the American Bittern has ever occurred on the 

 continent of Europe. It is found throughout the continent of North 

 America south of Alaska and Greenland, being a resident in the southern 

 States, but further north it is only a summer visitor, and further south 

 only a winter visitor. 



The American Bittern closely resembles its larger European congener in 

 its habits. Its haunts are in the wildest and most secluded bogs, in impene- 

 trable swamps, and dismal morasses. Dr. Coues * thus graphically depicts 

 this singular and interesting bird : — " The Bittern, as has been said, is 

 essentially ' wild, shy, and solitary.^ We oftener start one from his lonely 

 vigils in the bog than find several or even a pair together, excepting in 

 the breeding-season. No doubt he enjoys life after his own fashion ; but 

 his notions of happiness are peculiar. He prefers solitude, and leads the 

 eccentric life of a recluse, "^ forgetting the world, and by the world forgot.'' 

 To see him at his ordinary occupation one might fancy him shouldering 

 some heavy responsibility, oppressed with a secret, or labouring in the 

 solution of a problem of vital consequence. He stands motionless, with 

 his head drawn in upon his shoulders, and half -closed eyes, in profound 

 meditation, or steps about in a devious way, with an absent-minded air ; 

 for greater seclusion he will even hide in a thick brush-clump for hours 

 together. Startled in his retreat, whilst his thinking-cap is on, he seems 

 dazed like one suddenly aroused from a deep sleep ; but as soon as he 

 collects his wits, remembering unpleasantly that the outside world exists, 

 he shows common sense enough to beat a hasty retreat from a scene of 

 altogether too much action for him. Some such traits have doubtless led 

 to the belief that he is chiefly a nocturnal bird ; but such is not the case. 

 He may migrate by night ; but so does the Killdeer, and the Bobolink, and 

 many other birds not in the least nocturnal. Nor is the Bittern either 

 lazy or stupid, as some may suppose. He is simply what we call a shady 

 character-^one of those non-committal creatures whom we may invest, if 

 we please, with various attributes, and perhaps consider very deep, without 

 sufficient reason, the fact being that we make the mystery about him. 

 There is nothing remarkable in the fact that he prefers his own company, 

 and dislikes to be bored. He lives in the bog, where he finds plenty to 

 eat that he likes best, and is satisfied to be simply let alone. 



""When the Bittern is disturbed at his meditation he gives a vigorous 

 spring, croaks at the moment in a manner highly expressive of his disgust, 

 and flies oflf as fast as he can, though in rather a loose, lumbering way. 

 For some distance he flaps heavily with dangling legs and outstretched 

 neck ; but when settled on his course he proceeds more smoothly^ with 

 regular measured wing-beats, the head drawn in closely, and the legs 

 stretched straight out behind together, like a rudder. He is very easily 

 * ' Birds of the- North West,' p, 627. 



