Birds of Oregon and Washington 1 47 



source of enjoyment ? A rifle ball turns this 

 noble creature into a useless mass of flesh and 

 feathers. The loss is irreparable. Still, we have 

 no law to prevent it. Herons are said to devour 

 large numbers of small fish. But is not the la- 

 borer worthy of his hire ? Are the fish more 

 valuable than this, one of the grandest of birds ? " 



The only excuse offered on this coast, for this 

 savage destruction of a noble bird is that he acts 

 as a game sentinel. He gives the signal to 

 ducks, when the hunter is approaching. Sup- 

 pose he does sometimes do this, is his sagacity 

 not a cause for the greater admiration of him ? 

 Let this magnificent creature adorn our water- 

 ways and add to the beauty of our evening sky 

 by his splendid flight. 



A permanent resident. 



THE AMERICAN BITTERN, OR STAKE DRIVER. 



Length, 24 to 34 inches. 



This is another member of the Heron family, 

 and looks like his kind, with long legs for wading 

 and bill shaped for fishing. 



Go where we may in the United States, this 



