342 



BITTERN. 



Clafs II. 



thers : the feathers on the fore part of the neck though 

 fpotted, are very fhort : the fcapulars are grey and 

 webbed : the fides are grey, not marked with the 

 bed of black as thofe of the former are ; in other re- 

 fpecls they agree. 



Mr. Ray imagined this to be congenerous with the 

 crefted heron, but later difcoveries prove them to be 

 diftinct kinds. 



III. The BITTERN. 



Le Butor. Belon a<v. 192. 

 Brrind, Rordump. Gefner av. 



215. 

 The Myredromble. Turner. 

 Trombone, Terrabufo. Aldr. a<v. 



iii. 164. 

 Bittour, Bittern, or Mire-drum. 



Wil. orn. 282. 

 Raiifyn. an). 1 00. 

 Botaurus, it Butor. Brijfon an>. V. 



444. tab. 57. 

 Garza bionda, o di color d'oro. 



Zinan. 1 1 2. 

 Rohrtrummel, Mofskuh. Kram. 



348- 

 Ardea ftellaris. Lin.fyjl. 239. 

 Rordrum. Faun. Suec.fp. 164. 

 Davis Rordrum. Brunnicb iccj. 

 Br. Zool. 117. tab, &. I . 



THE bittern is a very retired bird, concealing 

 itfelf in the midft of reeds and ruflies in marfhy 

 places. It is with great difficulty provoked to flight, 

 and when on wing has fo dull and flagging a pace, as 

 to acquire among the Greeks the title of oxv©- * or the 

 lazy. It has two kinds of notes •, the one croaking, 

 when it is difturbed : the other bellowing, which it 

 commences in thefpring and ends in autumn. Mr. 

 WiUoughby fays, that in the latter feafon it foars into- 

 ihe air with a fpiral afcent to a great height, making 



* Jriji.hiji, an. 1056. 



at 



