64

64
1898
May 18
(No. 4)
Will has often seen the act done and he
says that after the beat the bird crouches
on the stone or log where he may be
and remains so a while. Then he rises
takes a few steps, turns and comes back
to the same point, looks about for a
moment, then sits erect on its rump
assuming a very upright position so that
its back is perpendicular to the ground.
Then it stretches both wings straight
out on either side and produces the
beats by a rapid movement of the wings
not striking the wings together.

Reaching the cabin we retired shortly after
nine to be ready for the next day. We slept
in the little room above the old cabin and
left the door leading out on to the roof
open. I dropped off to sleep to the
sonorous music of the Leopard Frog,
whose note is almost exactly like
the heavy snore of a sleeper.

I woke at 4.30 in the morning, and
found Will was awake. The air was very
cool, the sun was up and innumerable
bird notes were ringing about us. On the
meadow the steady pumping of the