2 
BITTERN. 
was almost impossiljle to hear anything else.’ After Avaiting till the sun was Avell up, and having seen nothing 
of the Bitterns, we searched all the likely spots on Ilickling Broad and Ileigham Sounds, but without success. 
Towards evening I was again on the water, and shortly before dusk observed (as on the previous ^night) half a 
dozen Herons fly singly into one of the plantations Avhere they were in the habit of roosting. Nothing was 
heard with the exception of the notes of the Nightjars, Warhlers, Redshanks, PecAvits, Snipes, and frogs *, and 
the occasional slushing of a largo pike on the look-out for his supper. Snipe w^ere drumming till long after 
dark; I never remarked them so late before, though, likely enough, they may have been often heard. Just as I 
was leaving the Avater, a man avIio had been eel-picking f at a short distance from Avhere I was brought up 
informed me that about half an hour before he had seen a bird, Avhich he believed to he a “ Bottle ” 1, alight 
in a slade close at hand. It AA^as noAv quite dark; hut as the sky was clear towards the north-east and 
reflected a light on the Broad, I thought the bird might possibly be dropped if it flcAv over the water. 
Unfortunately before I could get near enough for a shot, the unknoAvn was put up by the Peewits coming 
dashing doAvn, calling loudly. Prom the glimpse I obtained of the bird, it Avas impossible to state Avhether it 
was a Bittern or a Heron. Herons, as a rule, retire to rest about dusk ; but I have occasionally disturbed one 
Avhich has apparently been taking a late supper in some quiet pool in the middle of the night. 
* The natives always call these noisy croaking reptiles toads. 
t Capturing eels with a dart driven deep into the mud. 
J “ Bottle ” is the name by which the Ji^orfolk marshmen speak of this bird. 
