1900 
August 16 
Peculiar 
behavior 
of a 
Bittern 
******* * * * 
At the foot of the Holt I saw a Bittern standing on 
the high grassy bank. It discovered me a moment later and 
at once started off at a rather rapid but very clumsy run, 
tripping over slight obstacles and falling once or twice. 
On reaching some bushes which grew along a wire fence, it 
entered them, as I supposed, to hide but when I passed them 
I saw it standing erect and still on the other side. I 
paddled in near it, when it half squa,tted, at the same time 
or eight 
raising its hes.d and pointing up its bill. When within six/ 
yards, I raised my paddle and the Bittern flew. It rose with 
difficulty and after going a few yards struck against the 
wire fence, coming to the ground but immediately rising again 
and flying about 20 yards very slowly and feebly and at length 
alighting on the edge of a field of corn, into which it ran 
quickly. Its plumage was soaked and bedraggled which, I 
think, accounted for its halting flight. • . . 
