68 



BIRD STUDIES WITH A OAJIERA 



-wounded Least Bittern {Ardetfa involucris, a near 

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

 wliore a bird at liis 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 



presuma1:)le object 

 of keeping its pro- 

 tectively colored 

 b r e a s t turned 

 toward him. 



My bird, how- 

 ever, was among 

 fresh reeds, and 

 while one can not 

 doubt the elTec- 

 tiveness of its at- 

 titude and color, 

 when seen among 

 dead reeds or 

 grasses, neither 

 were of value 

 among 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 hero given. 



C(.)vei'ing my hand with my cap I held it toward 

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

 she adopted ik'W t;ictics, and struck at me with force 

 and rapidity, whicdi made me tliankful that my hand 



