were all silent when I reached the spot on my return. 
The Bitterns were also perfectly silent this evening 
although two of them were pumping steadily in the afternoon. 
There can be no question that the Bittern is strictly 
diurnal in its habits, although it pumps late into the 
evening twilight and is usually the first bird to begin at 
daybreak. 
There were only three Carolina Rails singing on the 
entire stretch of the Great Meadows to-night but they kept 
it up without the slightest cessation as long as I was 
within hearing. One had a peculiar voice, almost contralto 
in tone and with a queer double note at the beginning, the 
call being really of three instead of the normal two 
syllables, thus; er-^r-e. This is the first variation 
in the song of this species that I remember to have heard. 
The song of the Carolina Rail is most nearly like the 
scatter-call of the Quail but it also suggests the peep of 
the Hylas. Despite its plaintive, almost sad quality, it is 
to my ear one of the most pleasing sounds that one hears in 
our fresh-water meadows. 
