COMMON BITTERN. 
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wings rather long, the three first quills longest, 
second rather exceeding. 
Types, B. stellaris , lentiginosa , &c. Europe, Asia, 
Africa, America. 
Note. — Nocturnal, skulking. Back of the neck 
bare of feathers ; those of the sides elongated, 
covering it, but capable of erection. Nest large, 
placed on or near the ground. 
TIIE COMMON BITTERN. 
Bator Stellaris. 
PLATE Y. 
Ardea stellaris, Penn. §c . — Botaurus stellaris. — Heron 
Grand Butor, Temm The Common Bittern, or Bittern- 
Heron of British authors. 
The Bittern, like all our marsh birds, is, at the 
present time, much less common than it was fifty 
years since; yet it is still frequently met with, 
and, in one or two instances, is recorded as breed- 
ing- in England. The general time of its ap- 
pearance is in winter, or on the decline of the 
year; and, as observed by most of our modern 
writers, in some seasons they are much more 
