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THE CAMERA. 



127 



of the writer as a curiosity for the little 

 folks, though it proved quite as inter- 

 esting- to the adults. Blind and too sick 

 to eat. it would only turn its head slowly 

 from side to side when disturbed or 

 curl its head and neck upon its breast. 

 Standing - upon one foot with the other 

 drawn up under its plumage was a char- 

 acteristic attitude. 



After a few days it regained the sight 

 of one eye, and the wounds gradually 

 healed. But it still refused to eat. 

 Meat thrust forcibly into its beak was 

 held perhaps for hours, but never swal- 

 lowed. The only nourishment taken 

 was milk or other liquid forced down its 

 throat with a spoon. 



As strength returned our designs were 

 anticipated and its protests increased, the 

 contents of the spoon being usually dash- 

 ed to the floor in the contest. Finally a 

 small funnel was slipped into one end of 

 a rubber tube and the end forced into the 

 bird's mouth and held there and while 

 one held its beak and the funnel an as- 

 sistant poured milk and raw egg beaten 

 together down its throat. It soon learned 

 the process, and would turn its head 

 away and try to escape. Failing in 

 this, wings and legs were used, and 

 the meal interrupted two or three times 

 by pugilistic efforts with its formidable 

 beak, emphasized by vigorous kicking 

 and a series of flops from the widely ex- 

 panded wings. 



Finally three minnows were placed in 

 a pan of water at its feet. The heron for 

 a minute eyed them sharply, and we 

 thought the victory won ; but 11 gradually 

 relaxed into the stoic indifference 30 

 nearly habitual. They were left with it 

 for the night, with the hope that darkness 

 might lure it into the old pastime of ang- 

 ling. Evidently it was not a Simple Sim- 

 on, and the fish were unharmed. One day 

 the larger, overestimating the capacity 

 of its tank, jumped from the shallow pan, 

 and floundered about almost over the 

 heron's feet before it could be rescued; 

 but the bird regarded it with unconcern. 

 To all appearances it reflected that 

 friends and home had gone and it had 

 nothing for which to live. Its sole com- 

 fort in eaotivity was in paddling over a 

 sod placed in a pail of water. An occa- 

 sional fishworm was captured from the 

 half frozen ground of early spring and 

 placed in the mud. Y\ "bile it took grim 



delight in the sods and the water, it cer- 

 tainly did not eat all of the worms, — per- 

 haps not a single one; at least it was 

 never caught in the act, and some were 

 always left in the pail. On one or two 

 occasions pieces of worms were found 

 at his feet ; but whether through volition 

 or accident, none can tell. 



I Jarring this possible meagre source, it 

 took no food during the six weeks of 

 convalescence aside from the liquid 

 served amid vehement protests. As 



soon as the spring weather became mild 

 enough to warrant release in its ema- 

 ciated condition, it was taken to a neigh- 

 boring woods and given its freedom. 

 Though seemingly tamed and showing 

 neither fear nor resistance excepting 

 when fed, rarely leaving its own corner 

 of the room, the moment it was taken 

 out of doors the wild nature returned 

 and it made frantic efforts to escape, 

 using wings and legs with great force 

 and making some well-aimed thrusts at 

 the eyes of its captor with its powerful 

 beak. 



. It was released in the bed of a small 

 stream and stood motionless until we 

 strove to approach, when it rose fully 

 forty feet into the air, and after some 

 ill-directed attempts caused by the blind 

 eye, alit on the top of a tall tree. Later 

 it descended to the ground, but not near- 

 er to its captors. 



Then, only, was its fine protective cov- 

 ering fully appreciated ; for though we 

 knew its exact location, discovery was 

 almost impossible, so completely did the 

 colors blend with the surrounding 

 branches. Even the yellow bill, its most 

 conspicuous mark save the white cap, 

 proved dull on the lower side, as the head 

 was thrown back, alert to the slightest 

 sound or motion. Its policy seemed to 

 be never to turn the back to the enemy ; 

 yet so slowly was its head turned to 

 front the intruder that no motion was 

 perceptible ; only by comparison with 

 stationary objects could its change of 

 position be detected. 



Hoping that it might eventually re- 

 gain its mate, we left it, — protected more 

 by the garb given by the Infinite than by 

 its strong beak, legs, or wings ; a strange 

 example of wild nature which seemed 

 tamable yet could not be tamed ; a bird 

 which cared not for a life of captivity. 



