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Bitterns 
to the hands of a large man but in shape more nearly like 
the wings of a Grouse or Quail. Their tips point sometimes 
nearly straight upward, sometimes 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 bird's 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 expanded, he 
looked like a big white fowl having only the head and 
breast dark-colored (the breast often looking nearly black) 
for in this aspect and at the distance at which we 
viewed him (perhaps 300 yards) the broad ruffs, rising 
above and reaching well out on both sides of the back and 
shoulders,completely masked anything at their rear, while 
the head and the shortened neck were carried so low that 
they were seen against the breast and hence added nothing 
to visible area of dark plumage. 
When he was moving away from us in the same 
crouching attitude, the ruffs looked exactly like two white 
wings nearly as broad as those of a domestic pigeon — but 
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