A M E R I C A N BITTERN,
ARDEA MINOR. WIJ.S.
PLATE CCCXXXVII. MAI i: A » FEMALE.
IT never was my fortune I | ' have a gp ad, opportunity- (it, observing
all the habits of this very remarkable, Bird, which in many respects
differs from most other Herons. It is a,winter resident.™ the Peninsula
of the Floridas, as well as many of the kuv.s or islets which border
its shores. But the greater number oi* individuals which píi>s over the
United States, on their way northward, in March, come from places
beyond our southern limits. During my residence in Kentucky, I never •
saw or heard of thtúóccummce of one of them : and althoughd^ltavo
killed and assisted in killing a considerably number at various times of
the year, I never heard their booming or lpve-note.s; or, if I havo^Idid
not t'eci asMircd that the sound?' which: reached my oars were those
of the American Bittern. , This may probably appear strange, considering
the many years I have spent in searching our swamps, marshes,
and woods. Yet true it is that in all my rambles. I had not the good,
fortune to come upon one of. these bin Is sitting on its eggs either
among the grass or rushes, or on the branches of low hushes, where, I
have been informed, it builds.
In Lower Louisiana,, it is called the " Garde Soleil,"* because tlu'v
say it will stand on one foot for hours, with its eves, or one of them at
least, fixed on the orb of day, ami frequently spread out its wings, in
the manner of Cormorants ¡gnd. Vultures, to enjoy the heat, or perhaps
the gentle bree/.e. There it is seldom obtained in spring, but is a regular
autumnal visitant, appearing early in October, and frequenting
the marshes .both of fresh and salt wafer, where many r emain until the
beginningpf May. It is then common in the markets of New Orleans,
where it bought by the poorer classes to make gonsbo soup. In
almost every other part of the United States it is commonly called the
" Indian Pullet," or " Indian Hen.'" ,
Although in a particular place, apparently favourable., .some dozens
iff these birds, may he found to-day, yet, perhaps, on visiting it to-morrow,
y.ou .will not find one remaining: and district.« resorted to. one sea-
AMEHICAN B1TTEEN. 297
son or yggr, will b e j iund deserted by thè» the nest. That they migrate
by night I have always felt assured, but thaUthey are altogether
nocturnals, gather uncertain, lor in more than half a dozen instances
I have surprised them in the aet,cjf procuring food J», the middle of
thè day when the sul was shining brightly. That they are extremely
timid I well know, for a n n e r a i occasions, when I liavo suddenly crane
upon them, they have stood s # from mere terror, until I have knocked
.them down with an oar or a stick Yet, when wounded, and their
courage is raised, they shew great willingness to defend themselves, and
if in the presence^ a dog, they tósver fail to spread out to their
full extent the feathers, of the neck, leaving its hind part bare, ruffle
those of their body, extend their wings, and strike violently at their
enemy. When : seized they tójsiÉi' furiously, and endeavour to bite,
so that, unless great caro be taken,'they may infiiqt sevère wounds.
I never -sa^ one of -them fly farther than thirty or forty yards at a
time ; and o i such occasions, their movements were so sluggish as to
give opportunities of shooting them ;, for they generally rise
within a few yards of you; and fly off very MWly, in a direct course,
Their cries'' at 'Such times greatly resemble those of the Night and
Yellow-crowned Herons.
My friends, Dr BACHMAN and Mr N C T T A L L , have both heard the
lovo-noieS oi' this bird. The f'ormor says, jM a letter to me, " theirhoarse
croakingS, as if their throats were, filled with water,, were heard
on every side and the latter states that "instead of the Mnvp or
biiomp of the true Bittern, tlioir call is something like the uncouth syllables
of 'pwmp-aû-gàh, but uttered in the same low, bellowing tone."
Dr BA C H M A N procured, on the 29th April 1833, about forty miles
from Charleston, individuals, in the ovaries of which he found eggs so
large as to induce him to believe that they would have been laid in
| | © course of a single week, gome-others which were procured by him
and myself within nine miles of Charleston, on the 29th of March,
had the c'g.£s extremely small.
While at I'assamaquo.ly Bay, at the eastern extremity of the United
States, I was assured that this species bred in the vicinity ; but I
Saw none/there, or in any of<the numerous places examined on my way
to Labrador and Newfoundland. In neither of these countries did I
meet with a single person who was acquainted with it.
In few other species of maritime or maxsh birds have I seen so