130 



WILD ANIMALS OF GLACIER NATIONAL PARK. 



From Handbook of W'estf 



Fig. 37- 



Birds. L. A. Fucrtes. 



Bittern. 



and habits make it too interesting to miss. Its famous vocal imitation 

 of an old Avooden pump once heard vrill be recognized even in the dead 



of night, and its 

 imitation of stake 

 driving in a bog is 

 so good that it is 

 known not only as 

 the p r a i r i e pump 

 but the stake driver. 

 Its brown streaked 

 form will generally 

 be seen from the 

 back as at one's 

 slow approach it rises from a reedy slough or stream bank, and with 

 a deliberate, casual air silently crosses to the next cover, when it 

 quickly drops out 

 of sight. If come 

 upon suddenly, as 

 by a noiseless 

 canoe, instead of 

 taking flight it 

 turns its protec- 

 tively colored front 

 toward you, assum- 

 ing one of the won- 

 derful attitudes so 

 often found among 

 protectively colored 

 insects. Pointing- 

 its bill to the sky. 

 with long, slender 

 bod}' held erect and 

 motionless , if 

 might well pass for 

 one of the reeds b}' 

 which it is sur- 

 rounded. 



It is good to hear 

 that even in this 

 mountain park 

 there are abundant 

 opportunities f o i' 

 discovering it. 

 The best places to 



look seem to be on r.otograph by Robert B. Rockwell. 



the low, wet land pre. SS.— Young great blue berou. 



