The American Bittern 



Taken near Santa Barbara Photo by the Author 



AMERICAN BITTERN. FREEZING 



The birds also indulge in 

 another note not less strange, but 

 somewhat less startling, — that of a 

 stake smitten by a hammer. 

 Whack -a - whack, whack - a - whack, 

 goes the bird, and the dullest imag- 

 ination can picture the stake sink- 

 ing deeper into the mud with every 

 stroke. 



Another curious custom of the 

 courting season has only recently 



1918 



immerse it suddenly in water with 

 the bung-hole down ; then allow 

 the air to escape in great gurgles, 

 say a caskful at a time, and you 

 will get but a faint idea of the 

 terrifying, earth-shaking power of 

 the "Thunder-pump" at close 

 range. Umph-ta-googh, iimph-ta- 

 googh, groans this absurd wooer, 

 and the swamp quakes with appre- 

 hension. The case is serious, for 

 the bird accompanies the cry with 

 a motion which suggests the miser- 

 ies of the Scriptural whale, and 

 each successive Jonah has a long 

 way to go before reaching fresh 

 air. Maria likes the noise, of 

 course, and — well, love is like sea- 

 sickness, at certain stages. 



Taken near Santa Barbara Photo by the Author 



PREPARING TO SNEAK AWAY 



