THE CHESTNUT BITTERN 
round, still keeping" the edge of the bladc-Iikc body before mey 
corresponded so exactly with my own that I almost doubted 
that I had moved at all. I also foutid as I walked round liini, 
that as soon as 1 got on to the opposite side and he could no 
longer trust himself on his perch, he whirled his body with 
great rapidity the other way, instantly presenting the same 
front as before. Finally I plucked him forcibly from the rush 
and perched him on my hand, upon which he flew only fifty or 
sixty yards off, and dropped into the dry grass. Here he again 
put into practice the same instinct so ably that I groped about 
for ten or twelve minutes before reflnding him,,,.„„, 
[The Kallang Reservoir is a good place at which to see 
and watch bitterns, herons and other water-birds and if one 
wLilks quietly round the unfrequented bays a sight of the little 
green lieron (BHtondes javanica) and the blaek or yellow- 
necked bittern (Dupeior flavicoiUs) besides a view in season of 
Sandpipers and a riot of smaller birds will probably be one's 
reward, 
The chestnut bittern is called — as indeed most birds of this 
type are— by Malays by the name of "Puchong". It is a 
haunter of reedy marsh ground, standing motionless with neck 
hiunped on back and beak skywards and seldom moves unless 
actually flushed, or towards evening when it begins to feed: 
for it is a bird of the night. It flies low and seldom far, trailing 
its legs and bun^ping clumsily into the nearest brake. It is not 
at all unusual to see a dozen or more in a morning's walk 
after Snipe so there must be plenty of them. It is resident 
and no doubt breeds in the thickest covers amidst the swamps. 
It feeds on small fish, crustaceans and aquatic insects. — 
J, A. S. B.] 
[93] 
