by thrufting its bill into the cavity of a dry reed and blowing 

 therein ; the noife is however made when it is in an erect 

 pofition, and feems to be caufed by the bird's blowing hard 

 through its bill, which at that time is nearly clofed ; it is very 

 Joud and not much unlike the noife occafioned by beating on 

 the head of an empty calk : Goldfmith happily defcribes 

 the haunts and noife of this bird, in his admirable poemj, 

 " The Deferted Village 



Along thy glades a folitary gueft, 



The hollow-founding Bittern guards its nefi. 



During the breeding feafon, the male bird is faid to afcend 

 fpirally to a great height, when it utters a loud bleating noife ; 

 its notes or calls have been long noticed, and account for 

 fome of its curious provincial names, as Bog-Beater, Bog- 

 Bumper, Mire- Drum, Butter-Bump, Bittour, Bumpy-Crofs, 

 and Bitter-Bum. 



Our fpecimen was mot whilft flying over the river Cam ; 

 the neft was found near the fpot where the bird fell, which 

 contained four young birds and an addled egg. 



