128 WASTE-LAND WANDERINGS. 



Turnbull, in his " Birds of East Pennsylvania," says; 

 of the bitterns, they are " plentiful from the middle of 

 April to October." This word " plentiful" is a conven- 

 ient term when one desires to speak in very general and 

 non-committal terms, but it certainly does not give any 

 very definite idea of the numbers of this or that bird 

 likely to be met with during a summer. If the one in 

 question were a pest, one -tenth their actual numbers 

 would be considered more than plenty. As it is, the 

 bittern being strictly inoffensive, and at times exceeding- 

 ly entertaining, there are never enough of them to suit 

 the rambler's taste, and I for one cannot agree with Dr. 

 Turnbull that they are "plentiful." Speaking in exact 

 terms, and solely with reference to the valley of this 

 creek, they are moderately common, never abundant. 



When any bird betakes itself to haunts not usually 

 frequented by its nearest kin, it becomes invested with 

 peculiar interest ; the more so in proportion as its hab- 

 its differ from those of the family of birds to which it 

 belongs. In the case of the bittern, its singularity con- 

 sists in two features : it is a hermit, and the possessor of 

 a very un-heron-like voice. Upon these peculiarities 

 rests its fame. I have for years been accustomed to im- 

 prove every opportunity to study the habits of the bit- 

 tern, and although more summers than I care to recall 

 have passed since I first saw them, I do not feel that we 

 are thoroughly acquainted. There are certainly great 

 individual differences among them, and some are far 

 more shy and difficult of approach than others. Possi- 

 bly this is due to past unpleasant experiences with man- 

 kind. 



