Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BIT'TERN, n. [D. butoor; Fr. butor; Corn. klabitter.]

A fowl of the Grallic order, the Ardea stellaris, a native of Europe. This fowl has long legs and neck, and stalks among reeds and sedge, feeding upon fish. It makes a singular noise, called by Dryden bumping, and by Goldsmith booming. – Encyc.