on from which it is not easily
roused, and even when it takes wing, its flight is neither swift nor
long sustained. When wounded it requires to be approached with caution,
as it will then attack either man or dog with its long sharp bill and
its acute claws. It builds a rude nest among the reeds and flags, out of
materials which surround it, and the female lays four or five eggs of a
brownish olive. During the breeding season it utters a booming noise,
from which it probably derives its generic name, _Botaurus_, and which
has made it in many places an object of superstitious dread. Its plumage
for the most part is of a pale buff colour, rayed and speckled with
black and reddish brown. The American bittern (_Botaurus lentiginosus_)
is somewhat smaller than the European species, and is found throughout
the central and southern portions of North America. It also occurs in
Britain as an occasional straggler. It is distinguishable by its uniform
greyish-brown primaries, which want the tawny bars that characterize _B.
stellaris_. Both species are good eating.

[Illustration: Bittern.]

BITTERN (from "bitter"), the mother liquor obtained from sea-water or
brines after the separation of the sodium chloride (common salt) by
crystallization. It contains various magnesium salts (sulphate,
chloride, bromide and iodide) and is employed commercially for the
manufacture of Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) and bromine. The same
term is applied to a mixture of quassia, iron sulphate, _cocculus
indicus_, liquorice, &c., used in adulterating beer.

BITTERS, the name given to aromatized (generally alcoholic) beverages
containing a bitter substance or substances, used as tonics, appetizers
or digestives. The bitterness is imparted by such substances as bitter
orange rind, gentian, rhubarb, quassia, cascarilla, angostura, quinine
and cinchona. Juniper, cinnamon, carraway, camomile, cloves and other
flavouring agents are also employed in conjunction with the bitter
principles, alcohol and sugar. Some bitters are prepared by simple
maceration and subsequent filtration (see LIQUEURS), others by the more
complicated distillation process. Those prepared by the latter process
are the finer commercial articles. Bitters are usually sold under the
name of the substance which has been used to give them the predominant
flavour, such as orange, angostura or peach bitters, &c. The alcoholic
strength of bitters varies, but is generally in th