. History of British birds : the figures engraved on wood . BRITISH BIRD3. 47. BITTERN. BOG-BUMPER, BITTER-BUM OR MIRE-DRUM.{^rdea Stel/aris, Lin.—l,e jButoVy Buff.) The Bittern is nearly as large as the commonHeron; its legs are ftronger, body more plumpand flefhy, and its neck is more thickly cloathedwith feathers. The beak is ftrong at the bafe,ftraight, Iharp on the edges, and gradually tapersto an acute point; the upper mandible is brown,the under inclining to green 5 the mouth is wide. 48 BRITISH BIRDS* the gape extending beyond the eyes, with a dufkypatch at each angle : the irides are

---

. History of British birds : the figures engraved on wood . BRITISH BIRD3. 47. BITTERN. BOG-BUMPER, BITTER-BUM OR MIRE-DRUM.{^rdea Stel/aris, Lin.—l,e jButoVy Buff.) The Bittern is nearly as large as the commonHeron; its legs are ftronger, body more plumpand flefhy, and its neck is more thickly cloathedwith feathers. The beak is ftrong at the bafe,ftraight, Iharp on the edges, and gradually tapersto an acute point; the upper mandible is brown,the under inclining to green 5 the mouth is wide. 48 BRITISH BIRDS* the gape extending beyond the eyes, with a dufkypatch at each angle : the irides are yellow. Thecrown of the head is fomev/hat deprelTed, and co-*vered with long black feathers; the throat is yel-^lowifh white, the fides of the neck pale ruft colour,variegated with black, in fpottedj waved, and nar-row tranfverfe lines, and on the fore part theground colour is whitilli, and the feathers fall downin lefs broken and darker lengthened flripes. Thefeneck feathers, which it can raife and deprefs atpleafure, are long, and loofe, and inclining back-=ward, cover

---

Size: 1582px × 1580px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: ., bookauthorbeilbyralph17431817, bookdecade1790, booksubjectbirds