THE BITTERN. 277 



like bill poised for the stroke, and his keen eye piercing 

 the transparent water in search of the passing fry. 



All day he rambles about among the tall grass and 

 reeds of the marshes, sometimes pouncing on an unfor- 

 tunate frog, a garter-snake, or a mouse, for, like the blue 

 heron, he is a clever and indefatigable mouser ; but 

 when the evening comes, he bestirs himself, spreads his 

 broad vans, rises in air, summoning up his comrades by 

 his hoarse clang, and wings his way over the dim 

 morasses, to the banks of some neighboring rivulet or 

 pool, where he watches, erect sentinel, for the passing 

 fish, shiners, small eels, or any of the lesser tribes of the 

 cyprinidse, and whom he detects, woe betide ; for the 

 stroke of his sharp-pointed' bill, dealt with Parthian 

 velocity and certitude by the long arrowy neck, is sure 

 death to the unfortunate. 



Mr. Giraud, in his excellent book on the birds of Long 

 Island, thus speaks of the American Bittern, and that so 

 truthfully and agreeably withal, that I make no apology 

 for quoting his words at length. 



" This species is said to have been the favorite bird of 

 the Indians, and at this day is known to many persons 

 by the name of "Indian Hen," or "Pullet," though 

 more familiarly by the appellation of " Look-up," so 

 called from its habit, when standing on the marshes of 

 elevating its head, which position, though probably 

 adopted as a precautionary measure, frequently leads to 

 its destruction. The gunners seem to have a strong 



