Concord, Mass
1910.
April 17 (no 3)
[April 17, 1910]
Bitterns with white plumes

maintained a crouching attitude, with the back
strangely arched, the belly almost touching the ground,
the neck so shortened that the lowered head and
bill seemed to project only a few inches beyond the
breast. Thus in general shape and carriage, as well as 
in gait, they seemed to resemble 
Pheasants or Grouse much more than Herons. But
the strangest thing of all was that both birds
showed extensive patches of what seemed to be pure
white on their backs between the shoulders. This 
made them highly conspicuous and quickly led me
to conclude that the birds must be something quite
new to me and probably- because of this attitude
and swift, gliding movements - Pheasants of some 
species with which I was unfamiliar. Therefore 
I had been forced to view them with unassisted eyesight
but when I had reached the cabin and they the