BITTERN. 157 



usual aim. When the Bittern happens to be winged, it 

 throws itself on its back and defends itself with its strong 

 feet. 



The Bittern walks very slowly and with much caution, 

 not only in search of food but also for the purpose of con- 

 sidering the surface and depth of the water or soft mud. 



The flight of the Bittern resembles that of the owl, in 

 its arched wings and noiseless progress. 



It is very remarkable how the Bittern disentangles itself 

 from among the strong thick rushes, so as to gain room to 

 open its wings. The way in which this is managed is by 

 grasping the rushes with its long toes, and thus climbing to the 

 more pliable foliage of the plantation. The practised sports- 

 man can always hear the crashing of the rushes before the 

 Bittern appears in sight above them, when it is also neces- 

 sary that he take his aim and fire directly, because the bird 

 throws itself very soon again among the rushes at a little dis- 

 tance, when it is no easy matter to make it flush a second 

 time. The Bittern is at all times careful to avoid exposing 

 itself to the view of men, and knows too well that its safest 

 retreat is among the rushes that grow tall and thick, from 

 whence it is a difficult matter to scare it away, for the ground 

 or bottom of these situations only admits dogs to hunt over 

 it, when the Bittern has the advantage of mounting out of 

 the dog's reach by climbing the rushes. During the day- 

 time the Bittern does not shew itself of free will. 



The nature of the Bittern is spiteful and unsociable, not 

 only to other species, but to its own, in consequence of which 

 more than one pair is seldom found in the same swamp, unless 

 it is of very great extent. The adult male Bittern is noto- 

 rious for its inexplicable call-note during the breeding- 

 time ; it is only to be compared to the bellowing of a bull at 

 a distance, and can not be described in a better manner than 

 by expressing the words u-proomb ; and this is repeated very 



