70 EVERYDAY BIRDS 



This was good luck indeed, — that I should 

 surprise my very first bittern in his famous act, 

 a thing which better men than I, after years of 

 familiarity with the bird, had never once suc- 

 ceeded in accomplishing. Who says that For- 

 tune does not sometimes favor the fresh hand ? 



The fellow repeated the operation three times, 

 and between whiles moved stealthily through 

 the grass toward the leavings of the haycock 

 before mentioned. 



When he reached the hay, we held our breath. 

 Would he actually mount it? Yes, that was 

 undoubtedly his intention ; but he meant to do 

 it in such a way that no mortal eye should see 

 him. All the time glancing furtively to left and 

 right, as if the grass were full of enemies, he put 

 one foot before the other with almost inconceiv- 

 able slowness, — as the hour hand turns on the 

 clock's face. It was an admirable display of an 

 art which this race of b^og, mouse, and insect 

 catchers has cultivated for untold generations — 

 an art on which its livelihood depends, the art 

 of invisible motion. 



There was no resisting the ludicrousness of 

 his manner. He was in full view, but so long 

 as he kept still he seemed to think himself quite 

 safe from detection. like the hand of the clock, 

 however, if he was slow he was sure, and in time 



