. A history of British birds : the figures engraved on wood . bird^were it not for the singularly resounding cry which itutters from time to time Avhile on the wing ; but this cryis feeble when compared to the hollow booming noise*which it makes during the night time, in the breedingseason, from its swampy retreats. The Bittern, when attacked by the Buzzard, or otherbirds of prey, defends itself with great courage, and ge-nerally beats ofF such assailants -, neither does it betrayany symptoms of fear, when wounded by the sportsman,but eyes him with a keen undaunted look, and whendriven to extr
. A history of British birds : the figures engraved on wood . bird^were it not for the singularly resounding cry which itutters from time to time Avhile on the wing ; but this cryis feeble when compared to the hollow booming noise*which it makes during the night time, in the breedingseason, from its swampy retreats. The Bittern, when attacked by the Buzzard, or otherbirds of prey, defends itself with great courage, and ge-nerally beats ofF such assailants -, neither does it betrayany symptoms of fear, when wounded by the sportsman,but eyes him with a keen undaunted look, and whendriven to extremity, will attack him with the utmost vi-gour, wounding his legs, or aiming at his eyes with itssharp and piercing bill. It was formerly held in muckestimation at the tables of the great, and is again recover-ing its credit as a fashionable dish. This bird lives upon the same water animals as theHeron, for which it patiently watches, unmoved, forhours together. * The Bittern booms along the sounding marsh,** Mixt with the cries of Heron and Mallard .M 60 BRITISH BIRDS.
Size: 2610px × 958px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1800, bookidhistoryo, booksubjectbirds
