174 OUR RARER BIRDS 



and numbers of them are soaring high in air above the nest 

 trees. The larches are just clothed in their delicate emerald 

 robe of spring, and are now more beautiful than at any other 

 time of the year. The big gray Herons may be seen here and 

 there standing on the highest trees, their plumage contrasting 

 strongly with the vernal green of the foliage. Every moment 

 birds are flying up from distant fishing grounds, others are as 

 constantly leaving the busy colony, which the nearer we get 

 becomes more and more animated. We are under some of 

 the outlying nests now, and on every side we hear fluttering 

 amongst the trees when the big broad wings of the Herons 

 strike against the branches as the birds hurry away. The 

 Heron is tamer now than at any other time of the year — 

 love for its eggs and offspring making it relax its usual wari- 

 ness. High in air above our heads the graceful Herons are 

 flying to and fro, not in noisy converse, as Eooks would be, 

 but philosophically silent. Every now and then we are 

 startled by a Heron gliding silently within a few yards of 

 where we are standing, his beautiful plumes and gorget and 

 yellow eye contrasting richly with the rest of the plumage ; 

 and we experience quite a novel sensation at seeing so wary 

 a bird at such close quarters. Every moment birds are 

 hurriedly flying from their nests, and the swish, swish of their 

 ample wings is heard as they soar upwards to join their com- 

 panions high in air above the trees. At such a time we have 

 a good opportunity of witnessing the great power of flight 

 and the wonderful command over itself in the air which the 

 Heron possesses. 



But let us leave the birds for a little time and confine our 

 attention to their nests. These are placed at different heights 

 up the trees, generally at some distance from the trunk on a 

 broad level branch, although sometimes one is built on the 

 flat top of a tree or in a wide fork close to the stem. As in 

 a rookery, some of the nests are much larger than the others. 



