18
Back Bay Basin,
Boston, Mass.
1909.
Feb. 27
(No 18)
flat that the head looked scarce thicker than the
neck which, because of its unusual elongation, appeared
exceptionally slender. The bill was only slightly opened.
As a rule the bird kept silent when in this posture
but twice I saw as well as heard, it bleat. In one
of these instances it kicked up water just as it
uttered the paaap, in the other this action was omitted.
When the head was raised to the bow-sprit posture
from the crouching or the wounded duck posture
the movement was not especially rapid but when
it was thrust directly forward and upward from
the normal position the action was so swift
and abrupt that my eye could scarce follow
it. Although I witnessed the bow sprit posture
a number of times it was assumed less oftener than
either of the two fixed positions which I am about to describe.
Whistler courtship.
Bowsprit posture