THE SECRETS OF THE MEADOW. 185 



tinct, partly because instantly followed by the 

 first " pump." Usually six or seven snaps were 

 succeeded by three or four pumps, but the bird 

 varied the number of snaps and pumps consider- 

 ably, and I presume different bitterns would show 

 marked individualities. By a " pump " I mean 

 the triple sound which is called " booming," 

 " stakedriving," or " pumping," according to the 

 fancy of the writer, and which to my ears sounds 

 as much like " kung-ka-unk " as anything else. 

 The head is in a line with the back when the 

 " kung " is made, but as the first syllable reaches 

 the ears of an observer, he sees the bird's head 

 flung abruptly and sharply back, so that the bill 

 points for a second to the zenith, and then sees 

 it thrown down again to its former position. 

 The " ka-unk " follows this spasm so closely that 

 it is impossible to be certain whether the "ka " is 

 made on the upward stroke or on the downward. 

 The three sounds " kung-ka-unk " occupy just 

 about a second of time, which makes it clear 

 how rapid is the motion of the head. The 

 period from the instant that the head first 

 reaches the level of the back to the instant when 

 the fourth " unk " makes the end of the song, is 

 in most cases exactly ten seconds in duration. 

 Then the head is raised, the long neck extends 

 itself, the breast grows smaller accordingly, and 

 the bird resumes his stiffness and watchfulness. 



