The Bittem, though not numerous, is difperfed through 
the whole of this country, its habits are very folitary, feldom 
more than a pair frequent our moft extenfive marfhes ; this 
may in feme degree be occafioned by the great quantity of 
food it confumes ; in one difre6led in the courfe of the prefent 
year, the inteftines were completely full, containing the 
rc^mains of four eels, feveral water-newts, a fhort-tailed field 
moufe, three frogs, two buds of the water-lily, and fome 
other vegetable fubftances. It feems particularly attached to 
its nerdng-place, and will return many years in fucceffion to 
the fame place to breed. 
This fpecies builds in low fwampy places, where there is 
plenty of fhelter, fuch as high grafs, rufhes, and other rank 
herbage ; the neft is compofed of a large quantity of long 
coarfe green vegetables, and is lined with dry fedge and 
leaves^ it lays four or five greenifh olive-coloured eggs ; the 
young are at firft covered with thick matted down, and are 
affiduoufly attended to till able to provide for themfelves by 
their parents, who alternately keep guard over the neft or go 
in purfuit of the fiippery inhabitants of the fiagnant pool, 
which are the principal food of the young ones ; at this time 
the whole attention of the old birds feems devoted to feed and 
protea them ^ Ihould the neft be attacked by birds of prey, 
they make defperate refiftance, flying up at their affailant, 
and then throwing -themfelves on their back, oppofe the enemy 
with their formidable bills and clav/s, and feldom fail of driving 
their opponent from the neft: when full grown, they feed 
on eels, fmall fifh, frogs, mice, moles, the fmaller fpecies of 
reptiles ^ and on the failure of thefe, th^y greedily devour the 
root& 
