B I T T E R N. 
nOTAURUS STELLARIS. 
I HAVE but little information, gathered from personal observations, to give concerning the Bittern, only a 
single biid ba\ing been met with at close quarters, and a few seen and heard while passing over the Norfolk 
Broads. Prom the Ilickling keeper, now over 70 years of ago, I learned that in his remembrance tliis species 
nested regularly in the marshes and on the hills round Hickling and several of the other Broads. lie 
remarked that the last brood reared in the locality succeeded in taking their departure without having been 
molested. This, I believe, is a fact, as one of liis sons recollected the occurrence, and it was not many years 
ago, though they could not remember the exact date. 
In the fourth edition of Yarrell it is stated that “ the latest recorded instance is of a nest found on a small 
Broad at Upton, on the 3rd of March, 1868, containing two eggs, now in the possession of Mr. II. M. Upcher, 
of Peltwell ; and on the 25th of that month a young bird was caught alive in the same locality.” 
The following extract from my notes refers to the specimen depicted in the Plate, and gives nearly all I 
know concerning this species : — 
” December 5th, 1871. A cold breeze from the north-east. Hickling Broad entirely laid * with ice but 
we succeeded in making our way across to see the keeper. On our return, as we were passing Pleasure Hills, 
caught sight of a Bittern flying over Swimeoats towards the east ; the bird continued till over Whiteslea when 
It circled round twice and then alighted on Rush Hill hover t. IVe were a long time making our way’to the 
spot as the ice was very strong to break through ; on reacliing the dyke through the hill the bird was si-hted 
on the ice in the thick cover of sedge and rushes. It did not rise till the boat was witliin a yard, when it 
flapped slowly off and offered an easy shot. Our prize proved to he a very handsome old female in perfect 
plumage. ^ 
Another extract refers to a glimpse caught of three Bitterns on wing 
Wind from all points during the day, blowing from the east and south and finally 
. ree Bitterns having been seen and heard by several marshmen and keepers who had sent to inform 
me, was on Hickling Broad in the evening, and taking up a position in the bush where they had been 
observed that morning, a couple of hours were passed in awaiting their appearance. I was on the point of 
returning, as darkness was setting in, at about half-past nine, when we heard them calling, and the three birds, 
ymg ogeBiei, passed at a distance of about eighty or ninety yards, just out of range ; they were holdino- a 
coursestraight for Heigham Sounds. y «ere noiain^ a 
quarters, and a heavy thunderstorm in the early morning. I was on the 
Broad an hour before daybreak on the look-out for the Bitterns. The Cuekoo and the Nighljar wire call n! 
loudly tn the plantations, and the Warblers and frogs were having such a concert in the Li-bushes that ft 
* ’V\lien the Broads are frozen over, the natives speak of them as being “ laid.” 
t A » hover ” is the name given to a piece of impassable ground, so soft that it would not hear one’s weight. 
