593 



COMMON BITTERN. 

 (Botaurus stellaris.) 



Bo. supra testaceiis maculis trayisversis, suhtus paliidior maculis 



oblangis fuscus^ loris viridibus. 

 Bittern above testaceous, with transverse spots ; beneath paler, 



■with oblong brown spots the lores greenish. 

 Botaurus. Briss, Orn. 5. 444. 24. pL 3'/.Jl 1. 

 Ardea stellaris. Linn. Sj/st. Nat. 1. 239. 21. — Linn. Faun. 



Suec. l64. — Gmel. Syst. Nat. 1. 635. — Raii. Syn. p, 100. a. 1 1. 



—-Will. 207. pi' 50. 52.-— Lath. Ind, Orn. 2. 680. 18.— 



Leach. Cat. Brit. Miis.p.3o. 

 Le Butor. Buff. Ois. 7. AW. 21. Buff. PI, Enl. 789. 

 Grand Butor. Temm, Man. d'Orni. 3/3. 



Bittern. Penn, Brit. Zool. 2. 1^4. — Will. {Aug.) 282.— Alb. 

 Brit. Birds. 1. pi. 68. — Hayes. Brit. Birds, pi. 19. — Lath. 

 Gen. Syn. 5. 56. I7. — Lath. Syn. Sup. 234. — Lath. Syn. Sup. / 

 IT. 300. 7. — Letvin. Brit. Birds. 4. pi. 146. — Wale. Syn. 2. 

 pL 127. — Pult. Cat. Dors. 14.—Beiv. Brit. Birds. 2. 47. — 

 ■ — Mont. Orn. Diet. 1. — Mont. Orn. Diet. Sup. — Bing. Aniin. 

 Biog. 2. 296. 



The Common Bittern is in length about two 

 feet six inches : its beak 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 occiput, neck, and breast, are long and loose : 

 the general colour of the plumage is dull pale 

 yellow, elegantly variegated with spots and bars of 

 black : the greater coverts and quills are ferru- 

 ginous, regularly barred with black : the tail is 



V. XI. p. II. 39 



