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The "Bittern. Ardea Stcllaris. 

 Numb. LXVIII. 



IT S Length from the point of the Bill to the end of the Claws is thirty eight In- 

 ches : Its Head is fmall, narrow and comprefTcd on the Sides , the Crown black ; at 

 the Angles of the Mouth on each fide is a black Spot: The Throat and fides of the 

 Neck are red with narrow tranfverfe Lines ; the Neck is cloathed with very long Fea- 

 thers, which makes it feem both {horter and bigger than it is : The long Feathers on the 

 Breaft are black in their middles. The whole Bird is of a yellowifh brown variegated 

 with Spots and tranfverfe Lines of black ; on the fore part of the Neck, Belly and Back 

 the Spots are much larger : The quill Feathers of the Wings are fliorter than in the 

 common Heron : The tips of the greater Feathers are black ; the lefTer Rows and covert 

 Feathers are of a paler Colour. The Tail is very {hort, made up of ten Feathers of 

 the fame Colour with the Wing-Feathers. 



Its Bill is flreight, flrong, thick at the Head, and growing flenderer by Degrees to 

 the Point, of a greenifh Colour, having fharp Sides or Edges : The Sides of the lower 

 Mandible fall within the upper, v^^hen the Mouth is fhut. The upper Chap hath a long 

 Furrow or Channel excavated on each Side, wherein are the Noftrils. The Tongue is 

 {harp, not reaching fcarce to the middle of the Bill ; the IrUes of the Eyes are yel- 

 low ; the flit of the Mouth is very wide, running beyond the Eyes to the hinder pare 

 of the Head, fo that the Eyes feem to be fituate in the very Bill ; under the Eyes the 

 Skin is bare of Feathers and of a green Colour j the Ears are great and wide open ; the 

 Shanks are bare a litde above the Knees; the Feet green; the Toes great and very 

 long, armed alfo with long and ftrong Talons ; that of the middle Toe ferate on the in- 

 terior Edge, for the better holding Eels and other flippery Fifh, as in the reft of this 

 kind. The back Claw is remarkably thick and long above the reft ; the outermoft fore 

 Toe is join'd to the middlcm.oft at the bottom by a Membrane. 



It begins to bellow about the beginning of February^ and ceafes when breeding time 

 is over. It hides itfelf commonly among Reeds and Rufhes, with its Head ereft. In 

 the Autumn after Sun-fet thefe Birds are wont to foar aloft in the Air with a fpiral 

 Afcent fo high till they get quite out of Sight, in the mean time making a fingular kind 

 of Noife nothing like to lowing. 



It hath no Craw, only one bhnd Gut, like the reft of this kind, half an Inch longj 

 the Gullet juft below the Bill may be vaftly dilated, fo as to admit a Man's Fift; in the 

 Stomach, when differed, v/as found the Fur and Bones of Mice. It builds upon the 

 Ground and commonly on a Tuft o1 Ruflies ; lays four or five Eggs of a round Figure 

 and whitifli Colour, inclining to cinereous or green not fpotted at all. Mr. Ray is of O- 

 pinion that this is the Bird which the common People call the Night Raven, for ic 

 flies in the Night and makes a hooping Noife, 





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