AMERICAN BITTERN. 93 



The Bittern, or Stake Driver, is a summer resident of 

 our larger marshes, arriving early in April and remaining 

 American Bittern, until October. Though by no means 

 Butaunts tentiginostu. common, its notes are so loud and re- 

 riate vii. markable that even a single calling 



bird is more likely to attract attention than many smaller 

 abundant species. Under favorable circumstances these 

 notes may be heard for at least three fourths of a mile. 

 They are of two kinds. One is described as the " pump- 

 ing " call, and is generally written piimp-er-lunk, p ump- 

 6 ■r-Junl\ p!i.m [>- < i'-lu dI\ while the other is deceptively like 

 the sound produced by driving a stake in the mud. Mr. 

 Bradford Torrey, one of the few ornithologists who has 

 observed the bird while it was uttering these singular 

 cries, tells us (The Auk, vi, 1889, p. 1) that they are 

 attended by violent, convulsive movements of the head 

 and neck, which suggest the contortions of a seasick 

 person, but that the bird's bill is neither immersed in 

 water nor plunged in the mud, as has been popularly 

 supposed. 



CRANES, RAILS, ETC. (ORDER PALUDICOLiE.) 

 Rails and Coots. (Family Rallid^e.) 



Rails are marsh-inhabiting birds, more often heard 

 than seen. They are very reluctant to take wing, and 

 when pursued seek safety by running or hiding rather 

 than by flying. When flushed, they go but a short dis- 

 tance, and with dangling legs soon drop back into the 

 grasses. 



( )f the one hundred and eighty members of this 

 family, fourteen inhabit North America and eight visit 

 the northeastern United States. Only three or four of 

 these, however, are abundant, the most numerous and 



