89 
TX. 
THE BITTERN. 
THE swamps and marsh land of Petane have for 
years supported a few pair of Bittern. From the 
beach road between the township of that name 
and Napier, one or more may sometimes be seen 
by those who know how and where to look. 
More often, wading furtively along the mud 
channels, or standing with bills pointing straight 
to the sky, they pass undetected. In the latter 
position, by the huge majority of ones they 
are regarded as snags. 
During 1911, in the language of modesty, we 
were fortunate enough to discover three Bitterns’ 
nests—really we had deserved them by merit and 
long-continued search. The site of the first was 
attainable only by a tardy, sticky passage through 
a slough of despond of most evil-smelling mud— 
except to one clad in waders the spot was un- 
approachable. Safe even from the human boy 
stretched a sort of Polynesia of small rush-covered 
