THE COMMON BITTERN. 

 Botaurus stellaris (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 41. 



The Bittern, whose name is familiar to most people, though but few have seen 

 it at large or listened to its weird love-song, has occurred in most of the English 

 counties, the dense reed-beds and sedgy bogs of East Anglia having been its 

 chief stronghold in former times. Now it is principally known as a not un- 

 common winter visitor, and in recent years, where it has obtained sufficient pro- 

 tection from the egg-collector, is known to have reared its young, at least in one 

 instance, in Norfolk as late as 191 1. 



The Bittern was plentiful as a resident in the fen districts until the first 

 quarter of last century or even later, its disappearance as a breeding species 

 having been hastened by the extensive draining of the marshes where it nested. 

 It has been recorded in many parts of Scotland, mostly as an irregular visitor, 

 and during winter it occurs in Ireland, more especially in the southern portions. 

 Its range is wide over Europe, Asia, and North Africa. 



The nest is placed among the cover of reed-jungles, and consists of a mass 

 of the dead stems of water-plants. It contains four eggs, of a dull brownish- 

 olive, without markings, laid early in the year, often in March. When sitting 

 on her eggs, a captive Bittern which I had opportunities of watching, on being 

 approached usually puffed out her feathers, appearing a much larger bird than 

 she really was, as depicted in the plate. 



The food consists of fishes, reptiles, and any small mammals up to the size 

 of a Water-rat that can be reached with a quick lunge of its pointed bill, or 

 even birds as large as a Water-Rail. 



Mr. E. W. Wade, writing in British Birds (vol. i. p. 330), says : " The peculiar 

 note from which the Dutch name (Roerdomp) is derived, is uttered as the bird 

 sits in some reed-bed over the water. It resembles the bellowing of a bull, but 

 with a deeper resonance. When heard at close quarters the bird seems to catch 

 its breath three times, as if inhaling air, and then booms three or four times, 

 the first boom sounding half-choked, the others clear and loud, after which it is 

 silent for twenty minutes or half-an-hour. On wet days the note is oftener 

 heard than on fine." 



5 



