Concord, Mass.
1910
April 18
(No 5)
[April 18, 1910]

Bitterns

more or less backward, also. As they rise above 
the shoulders they spread towards each other 
at right angles to the long axis of the birds
body until at their bases they nearly meet 
in the center of the back. They may be held
thus without apparent change in area or position,
for many minutes at a time, during which
the bird may move about over a considerable
space of ground or perhaps merely stand or crouch
in the same place. We frequently saw them
fully displayed when the Bitterns were pumping
but not more so nor in any different way than
at other times. When the bird was moving 
straight towards us with his body carried low
and his ruffs fully expanded he looked like
a big white fowl having only the head and
breast dark-colored (the breast often looking nearly