128 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
birds are killed every year for no useful purpose whatever. Unlike many 
of our herons it neither roosts, nests, nor feeds in flocks, but is seen singly, 
or at most in pairs, during its stay with us. Arriving from the south as 
soon as the frost is out of the ground, sometimes even earlier, and lingering 
at least occasionally until the marshes freeze up again, it is well known to 
every observant citizen who travels much over Michigan roads. 
Its voice is unique, the names ‘‘ Thunder-pump’and “Stake-driver” being 
attempts to indicate two of its commoner notes. These notes are often called 
“booming” which is the term regularly applied to the note of the European 
Bittern, but the term seems hardly applicable to the call of our bird. Good 
descriptions of the notes themselves and of the contortions of the bird while 
uttering them may be found in several of our standard works, one of the 
best descriptions probably by Bradford Torrey. 
This bird’s plumage offers one of the best illustrations we have of 
protective coloration, the brown, black and buff-streaked plumage har- 
monizing so perfectly with the dead or dying marsh vegetation among 
which it is found spring and fall, that the bird is wellnigh invisible even 
when standing fully exposed. Moreover the bird takes advantage of its 
color and puts itself in such attitudes as will favor the illusion, one of its 
favorite positions being erect with legs, body, neck and bill all in the same 
line, the bill pointing directly to the sky. It often assumes this postiion 
in alighting and will sometimes retain it for several minutes, when it will 
suddenly relax, taking the ordinary appearance of a heron, and proceeding 
to look for its food. 
The nest is made of grass, weed-stalks, twigs, etc., and placed on the 
ground, among reeds, flags or bushes, and usually in marshy places; the eggs 
three to five are “pale olive drab, or pale isabella color, averaging 1.88 by 
1.43 inches” (Ridgway). According to some writers the nest is placed 
commonly on bushes and at a height of several feet from the ground, but 
we have never seen or heard of a nest so placed. 
Its food is of the most varied character, including animal matter of 
almost every description, but no seeds, berries or other vegetable materials. 
We have taken from its stomach fish, frogs, mice, snakes, tadpoles, crayfish, 
snails, and a great variety of aquatic insects, while Prof. Aughey of Nebraska 
has recorded one from Grand Island, Nebraska, killed in September, 1873, 
which had 16 grasshoppers in its stomach. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Forehead and crown brown, darkest in front, where it is mixed with blackish; chin 
white or creamy-white, divided by a narrow median brown stripe; side of neck with a 
conspicuous patch of glossy black, dull or slaty in some cases and bordered above by clear 
buff; under parts from neck to tail pale buff with broad streaks of light brown, each streak 
minutely mottled with darker brown or black; back and scapulars heavily mottled with 
buff, brown and black, the buff predominating; primaries light bluish slate, tipped with 
brown, their shafts black. Bill mostly yellow, the culmen dusky; legs and feet pale green; 
iris bright yellow. Sexes alike, and young quite similar, but autumnal specimens darker, 
browner, and more richly colored, spring specimens having a paler bleached appearance. 
Length 24 to 34 inches; wing 9.80 to 12; culmen 2,50 to 3,20; tarsus 3.10 to 3.85. 
