THE AMERICAN BITTERN. 

 Botaurus leniiginosus, Montagu. 

 Plate 41. 



This New-World species has been recorded about forty times in the British 

 Islands, the first having been killed in Dorsetshire in 1804. Curiously enough, it 

 has apparently never occurred on the Continent of Europe, although it has visited 

 Greenland. The home of this species is in America, its range extending over the 

 greater part of that country. The late Howard Saunders states {Manual of 

 British Birds, 2nd ed.), "When situated on dry ground the nest is a very slight 

 structure of reeds and grass ; but in places liable to inundations it is sometimes 

 considerably elevated." 



In colour the eggs closely resemble those of the Common Bittern, and, accord- 

 ing to Seebohm, are from three to five in number. 



The food consists chiefly of frogs and other reptiles, as well as fishes and 

 small mammals. 



The love-note differs from that of our bird, the sound having been compared 

 to that caused by a mallet when driving home a stake in swampy ground. 



In general, its habits and appearance resemble those of the Common Bittern, 

 but it is rather less in size, the crown of the head is brown instead of black, the 

 vermiculations are finer, and the quill feathers of the wing are a uniform slaty-brown 

 without bars. According to Millais, its flight is also more rapid and it rises 

 very swiftly. 



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