92 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



How we gloated over our prize as he stood there, trans- 

 formed into the semblance of a bunch of reeds ! With 

 long, pointed bill thrust straight upwards, bright eyes half 

 closed, the feathers of his head and neck smoothed down- 

 wards, their alternate dark and light markings blending 

 with the reeds ; while even the bird's bulky body, owing 

 to its broken-up colouring, seemed absolutely to "melt" 

 into its surroundings ; the big green legs and feet being 

 partially submerged in water, might easily have been 

 mistaken for reed-stalks (Fig. 1). 



riG. 1.- 



-TRANSFORMIXG HIMSELF IXTO THE SEMBLANCE OF 

 A BUNCH OF EEEDS. 



It was now 8.30 and the sun was setting. What was 

 to be done with the young Bittern now we had found 

 him ? I insisted on some third person seeing our captive, 

 lest the unbeheving world should scoff, so I carried the 

 wild, beautiful thing to dry land. This was no easy task : 



