Notes on the American Bittern 
(Botaurus lentiginosus). 
One day during the last week in August two 
boys drove up to my window, one of them 
inquiring with considerable interest if here 
was where the man lived that stuffed birds. 
With fully as much interest I assured him 
that such a man lived here, and at the same 
time put down my pen and was out to see 
what the boys’ box contained. Just such 
boxes had often brought me specimens which 
I prized very highly, as well as many which 
were not so valuable. 
I found the boys had a perfect living speci¬ 
men of the American Bittern. They said they 
had found it along a creek and had stunned it 
with a stone, but it completely recovered after 
they had taken it. This bird is not very com¬ 
mon in this (Wabash) county. I decided to 
keep it alive for a week and watch its habits. 
It was given free use of an empty room. 
The commonest attitude it assumes is 
pointing its bill upward about thirty degrees 
from the perpendicular, or stealthily creeping 
along the floor, or like the Heron in repose, 
its neck drawn up, the bill pointing somewhat 
above the horizontal. The flashing eye, to¬ 
gether with the streaks about it and elevated 
feathers, give the bird a very fierce appearance, 
and when compelled to do so it can use its 
sharp, sword-like bill to considerable effect in 
defending itself. However, its gurgling, blow¬ 
ing noise and fierce appearance do its best 
service, probably, in defence from its enemies. 
It has a curious, steady, weaving to and fro 
motion when standing, stealthily looking from 
side to side, never making a quick motion 
unless compelled to do so, and only reluctantly 
then. Its movements are rapid enough, how¬ 
ever, to be quite effectual when seizing its 
prey,—indeed they are very quick. It fre¬ 
quently stands for several minutes without 
moving in the least, except its eyelids. 
The ruffled feathers greatly enlarge the 
appearance of the bird. It, too, appears to 
delight in seeming much larger than it is. 
Heron-like, it frequently stands on one leg for 
some time. When standing in this attitude it 
will not change the position of its feet even 
though it may wish to look at all points of the 
compass; its long neck and ready use of it 
enabling it to look in any direction desired 
without a change of position. 
When on short rations it refused to eat the 
large potato moth I gave it, or a beetle, or 
fresh beef or grass. Fish and frogs seemed 
the most toothsome food I furnished it. The 
old story was so fresh in memory that I could 
not resist the temptation to place the fish on 
a flat surface and then in water. Of course I 
, found out, as everybody else has, that there 
was little or no difficulty in taking the food 
without the water, although I could easily 
imagine there was some virtue in it. 
The dead fish I gave it, ranging from two to 
five inches in length, were scarcely torn at all 
before swallowing. A few hasty, hound-lilce ! 
gulps was all the attempt made at mastication. 
The live cray-fish, however, was pierced and 
bitten until it in some measure ceased strug¬ 
gling, before it was swallowed, but from the 
| uneasiness of my Bittern I judged Mr. Cray¬ 
fish was not behaving very well after he had 
been swallowed. 
Next a green frog (Uanct virescens ) was 
given it. When this luscious green morsel 
was spied sitting there Mr. Bittern cautiously 
moved towards it and instantly seized the j 
body of the frog midway, using those sword- j 
like mandibles to such effect that life was 
soon extinct. Considerable care was taken to 
kill this specimen. Even the legs must have ' 
the bones broken repeatedly, especially the 
long hinder ones. Then, with only slight 
i inconvenience it was swallowed whole, causing j 
a considerable distending of the msopliagus 
for a few minutes. 
Quite a variety of common names have been 
applied to this bird; among them are, Indian 
Hen, Stake Drive, Bog Bull and I have heard 
it called Thunder Pumper, although this name 
is also applied to a fish. It was probably a 
j confused idea of this last name which caused 
the boys to reply, when asked what they had, 
that they were not quite sure about it but 
| they thought it was a “ Pump Sucker.’ 
A. B. TJlrey. 
North Manchester, Inti. 
O.& O.Vol.l7,May 1892 p. 76-77 
52. Letters on Ornithology. By Dr. Elliott Coues. — Letters No. 19 
- SO, treating of the habits and distribution of the following species : “ The 
Curlews of North America,” Ibid., XI, p. 170; “The American Bittern, 
Botaurus lentiginosus (Gm.),” p. 200; “History of the Red-breasted or 
Cinnamon Teal, Querqueduia cyanoptera,” p. 218 ; “ The Snow Goose, or 
White Brant, Anser hyperboreus, Pall.,” p.233; “The American Coot, 
Fulica americana, Gm.,” p. 270 ; “The Wood Ibis,” p. 283; “The Soli¬ 
tary Tattler; Wood Tattler (Totanus solitarius),” p. 301 ; “ Semipalmated 
Tattler; Willct; Stone Snipe (Totanus semipalmalus'),” p. 315 ; “Bartramian 
Sandpiper or Tattler; Upland Plover (Aclilurus barlramius),” p. 332 ; 
“ Buff-breasted Sandpiper ( Tryngites rufescens'),’’ p. 348 ; “ Great Marbled 
Godwit (Limosa fedoa),” p. 365 ; “ The Great White Egret (Ardea 
egretta),” p. 380. JMc&ifO Fltld 
