Concord, Mass.
1910.
April 17 [April 17, 1910]
(No 2)
Two which I saw this morning, however, presented 
such a strange appearance and acted in such a 
remarkable manner that I watched them for half-
an-hour or more with absorbing interest. When
I first noticed them they were on the further
margin of the little permanent lagoon where the 
Red-wings breed so numerously, moving past it
eastward almost if not quite as fast as a 
man habitually walks on smooth, firm ground,
one following directly behind the other at a distance
of fifteen or twenty yards. Thus they advanced not 
only rapidly but also very evenly, with a smooth,
gliding motion which reminded me of that of
Gallinaceous birds and was very un-heron-like.
Occasionally they would stop and stand erect for 
a minute or so but when walking they invariably
Remarkable behavior of American Bitterns