68 



mill) STUDIES WITH A CAMERA 



wounded Least Bittern (Ardetta involucris, a near 

 relative of our bird) in the marslies of La Plata, 

 where a bird at his feet, in the same position as the 

 one before me, was discovered only after careful 

 search, and which, to the naturalist's amazement, 

 slowly revolved as he walked around it, with the 



presumable object 

 of keeping its pro- 

 tectively colored 

 breast turned 

 toward him. 



My bird, how- 

 ever, was among 

 fresh reeds, and 

 while one can not 

 doul)t the effec- 

 tiveness of its at- 

 titude and color, 

 when seen among 

 dead reeds or 

 grasses, neither 

 were of value 

 amo]ig its green 

 surroundings. 

 With the light 

 on the wrong side and the reeds swaying violently 

 in the wind, we essayed to picture the bird, and the 

 best of several attempts made under these adverse 

 conditions are here given. 



Covering mj^ hand with my cap I held it toward 

 her, when, convinced that her little trick had failed, 

 she adopted new tactics, and struck at me with force 

 and rapidity, which made me thankful that my hand 



34. Lyast BittL^-n on nest mimicking its sur- 

 roundiniis. 



