Class II. WHITE HERON. 4*7 



fmall one of the fize of a lapwing, mot near 

 Shrewjbury. He adds no more than that the crown 

 of the head was black : as this anfwers the defcrip- 

 tion of a kind frequent in Switzerland and Au- 

 ftria*, we imagine it to be a ftrayed bird from 

 thofe parts. 



It builds its neft with the leaves of water plants 

 on fome dry clump among the reeds, and lays five 

 or fix eggs, of a cinereous green color. This 

 bird and the heron are very apt to ftrike at the 

 fowler's eyes, when only maimed. The food of the 

 bittern is chiefly frogs *, not that it rejects fifh, for 

 fmall trouts have been met with in their ftomachs. 

 In the reign of Henry VIII. it was held in much 

 efteem at our tables i and valued at one milling. 

 Its flefh has much the flavour of a hare ; and no- 

 thin 2 of the fifhinefs of that of the heron. 



Le Heron blanc. Belon a<v. Ardea Candida, le Heron 175. WHite, 



191. blanc. Briffbn av. V. 428. 



Ardea alba. Gefncr av. 213. Groffer weiiTer Rager. Kram, 



Turner. 346. Scopoli, No. 126. 



Wil. cm. 279. Ardea alba. Lin. fyft. 239. 



Bail fyn. av. 99. Faun. Suec. fp. 166. 



Br. Zool, 117. 



T 



HIS bird has not fallen within our obferva- 

 fcionj therefore we muft give Mr. Willughbfs 



* Kramer Blench* anim. Aufiria 9 348. 



account 



