36 



BITTERN. 



23. Guttur, the throat. 



24. Gula, the gullet. 



25. Jugulum, the lower throat. 



26. Pectus, the breast. 



27. Epigastrum, the stomach. 



28. Abdomen. 



29. Hypochondria, the sides of the abdo- 

 men. 



30. Venter, the belly. 



31. Crissum, the vent. 



32. Dorsum, the back. 



33. Interscapulum, space between the 

 shoulders. 



34. Tergum, the middle of the back. 



35. Uropygium, the rump. 



36. Humeri, the shoulders. 



37. Flexura, the bend of the wing. 



38. Axilla, the arm-pit. 



39. Ala, the wing. 



40. Tectrices, the wing coverts. 



41. Tectrices majores, the largest wing 

 coverts. 



42. Tectrices minores, the smallest wing 

 coverts. 



43. Tectrices medi^, the middle wing 

 coverts. 



44. Remiges, the rowers. 



45. Primaries, the quills. 



46. Secundaria, secondaries. 



47. Cauda, the tail. 



48. Rectrices, the tail feathers, divided 

 into 49, Intermedia, the middle, and 50, 

 Laterales, the side feathers. 



Crus, the leg, divided into, 



51. Tibia, the thigh, answering to the leg 

 in quadrupeds. 



52. Planta, or Pes, the foot, divided into 



53. Tarsus, the shank, answering to the 

 heel in quadrupeds. 



54. Acrotarsium, the shin. 



55. Hallux, the great toe. 



56. Digiti, the toes. * 



BITTERN (Ardea stettaris, Linn^us.) 



Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 646.— Rati, Syn. p. 100. A, 11. — Will. p. 207. t. 50. 52.— Le 

 Butor, Buff. 7. p. 411.— Temm. 2. p. 580.— Bittern, Br. Zool. 2. No. 174.— 

 Ib. fol. 711. t A. I.— Will. (Angl.) p. 282.— Albin, 1. 1. 68.— Haye's Br. Birds, 

 t. 19.— Lath. Syn. 5. p. 56. 17.— Ib. Sup. p. 234 — Gen. Hist. 9. 97 — Incl. 



Orn. 2. p. 680. 18 Lewin, Br. Birds, 4. t. 146 — Wale. Syn. 2. t. 127.— Pult. 



Cat. Dorset, p. 14 Flem.Br. Anim. p. 95 — Botaurus, Briss. 5. p. 444. 24. t. 37. 



f. 1.— Ib. 8vo. 2. p. 327. 



Provincial. — Bittour. Bumpy Coss. Butter Bump. Miredrum. 

 Bog- Bumper. Bumpie. Bog- Bluiter. 



This species is rather less than the common heron ; length about 

 two feet and a half. 



The bill is four inches long-, of a brown horn colour above ; the lower 

 mandible, and base of the upper, greenish ; irides yellow. The feathers 

 on the top of the head are black ; those on the hind head, neck, and 

 breast, are long and loose ; the plumage, in general, is of a dull pale 

 yellow, elegantly variegated with spots, and bars of black ; the greater 

 coverts and quill-feathers ferruginous, regularly barred with black ; tail 

 short ; legs pale green ; toes and claws very long and slender ; the 

 middle claw serrated on the inner edge. The female is rather less, the 

 plumage not so bright, and the feathers on the neck not so long and 

 flowing in the male. 



The Bittern is by no means a plentiful species. * Latham and Tem- 

 minck say it is very common ; and Fleming that it is daily becoming 

 more scarce.* In the breeding season it is only found in the less- 

 frequented reedy marshes, and swampy moors well clothed with rushes, 



