Where Town and Country Meet 



a-unk, a-unk, fairly makes me thirsty, and 

 my fingers itch for the rusted tin dipper that 

 used to convey such nectar to my parched 

 lips. 



Comparatively little is really known, as 

 yet, of the habits of what might be called 

 our "hermit-birds," like the bittern, the rail, 

 the mud-hen, the Wilson's snipe, the wood- 

 cock, and the whip-poor-will. Most people, 

 I imagine, even those who are fond of bird- 

 study, would have to confess that they have 

 never seen all of these comparatively com- 

 mon birds, alive, in their native haunts. 

 Some, I am quite sure, would have to admit 

 that they have never seen one of them. 

 Even professional ornithologists have found 

 difficulty in collecting what scientific data 

 they have concerning these bird hermits. 

 There is much still to be learned about them, 

 so that the study of their habits, when pos- 

 sible, is full of fresh interest and stimulus. 



I wonder if any bird student who reads 

 this chapter has ever tried to "stalk" a bit- 

 tern in a marsh, while it was uttering its 

 peculiar, booming cry? It is a more deli- 

 cate and difficult piece of business by far 

 than stalking a drumming ruffed grouse in 

 48 



