Concord, Mass.
1910.
April 21.
(No 2)
[April 21, 1910]

White nuptual plumes of the Bittern

But whenever the Bittern turned his side towards
me the ruffs seemed to stand almost straight up
on each side of the neck just above the shoulders thus:
[diagram]
When he faced me the effect was like this:-
[diagram]
  When in the last mentioned position the ruffs
made much less show than those seen on the
18th which were more like this
[diagram]
  I tried in vain to shoot the white-ruffed birds
seen to-day. They would not let me get nearer than
100 yards before taking wing. Neither attempted to
hide but merely stood looking at me until they