The Bittern. 357 
" So that scarce 
The Bittern knows his time, with bill ingulf d 
To shake the sounding marsh." 
And Southey also describes the peculiar noise of this 
bird in his poem of Thalaba : 
"And when at evening, o'er the swampy plain, 
The Bittern's boom came far, 
Distinct in darkness seen — 
Above the low horizon's lingering light, 
Rose the near ruins of old Babylon." 
Sometimes in the evening the Bittern soars on a sud- 
den in a straight, or, at other times, in a spiral line, so 
high in the air, that it ceases to be perceptible to the 
eye. When attacked by the buzzard, or other birds of 
prey, it defends itself with great courage, and generally 
beats off such assailants ; neither does it betray any 
symptoms of fear when wounded by the sportsman, but 
eyes him with a keen, undaunted look ; and, when 
driven to extremity, will attack him with the utmost 
vigour, wounding his legs, or aiming at his eyes with 
its sharp and piercing bill. It was formerly held in 
much estimation at the tables of the great, and is again 
recovering its credit as a fashionable dish. The flesh is 
considered delicious. In autumn it changes its abode, 
always commencing its journey at sunset. Its precau- 
tions for concealment and security seem directed with 
great care and circumspection. It usually sits in the 
reeds with its head erect ; and thus, from its great 
length of neck, sees over their tops, without itself being 
perceived by the sportsman. The principal food of 
these birds, during summer, consists of fish and frogs : 
but in autumn they resort to the woods in pursuit of 
mice, which they seize with great dexterity, and alwa}<s 
swallow whole. About this season they usually become 
very fat. 
