164 



Bird-Land Echoes. 



words that nearly suited me, and gave expression 

 to them, too ; but my pubhshers declined to print 

 them ; and so, under protest, I will pass on. 



I was at one time under the impression that the 

 quaint bitterns did not come here, but what an addi- 

 tion they are to the meadows ! That wonderful 

 ** booming" has all the wildness and weirdness of 

 Indian times in it. Once I thought I would offer a 



Bittern. 



townsman a treat by conducting him to where he 

 could hear and probably see the birds. He was de- 

 lighted, and took up his gun, saying that they were 

 "excellent eating." 



I didn't go. 



There is no sound in nature so hopelessly beyond 

 description as the booming of the bittern. To a 

 certain extent it is so far the same under nearly all 

 circumstances as to be recognized at once ; but the 



