strong and the birds are able to stand erect on the nest or on the objects near it. 



They are now seldom fed oftener than once a day, as if their parents were 

 intent on teaching them that abstinence without which it would often be difficult 

 for them to subsist in after life. At the age of six or seven weeks they fly off, 

 and at once go in search of food, each by itself. These birds feed on fish, frogs, 

 lizards, snakes, shrews, meadow mice and other animals. 



The Great Blue Heron occurs throughout North America south of the 

 Arctic regions. It extends through the West Indies and the northern part of 

 South America. It winters from the middle States southward. 



The Habits of the Wilson's Phalarope 



(Phalaropus tricolor) 

 By F. M. Woodruff 



The family Phalaropodidse has a very restricted membership, comprising 

 only three species, two of which are found principally along the sea coasts of 

 the Northern Hemisphere. Wilson's Phalarope, unlike its relatives, is distinctly 

 an American bird. Its range is chiefly inland, extending from the Mississippi 

 Valley and Great Lake Region westward and north into the British provinces. 



Few persons aside from those who are closely in touch with Nature can claim 

 even a passing acquaintance with this beautiful creature, the Phalarope. Its 

 soft, delicate plumage consists of various shades of chestnut, black, gray and 

 white, giving an elegant and symmetrical appearance to the bird, which is equaled 

 only by its graceful and gentle demeanor. Fortunate is he who can survive an 

 attack from mosquitoes and venture among the mossy bogs and quagmires to 

 study the Phalaropes in their nature haunts. After such a visit one can scarcely 

 refrain from admiring their unsuspicious and peaceful conduct. Well do I re- 

 member my initial experience with this little shore 'bird. It is only one of the 

 many anecdotes which are jotted down in the note book of the field ornithologist, 

 but it formed a vivid impression upon my mind. In company with a friend I 

 was traversing a prairie marsh, near Chicago, where bobolinks and meadow larks 

 abounded. Our destination was a dense copse, resorted to annually by warblers 

 and flycatchers during the breeding season. We were admiring the aerial per- 

 formance of a marsh hawk, when we were greeted on either side by a male 

 Phalarope and a pair of Bartram's sandpipers. 



Both species were entirely new to us in the wild state, and so complete was 

 this surprise that we were unable to account for their sudden and unexpected 

 appearance. The sandpipers hovered about on quivering wings, continually 

 uttering their long-drawn-out plaintive yet melodious whistle. 



The Phalarope displayed no less an amount of uneasiness as he darted back 

 and forth in an undulating manner. His voice was a feeble "onk. onk," and 

 lacked the distinctness of the Bartram's clear whistle, which was audible at the 



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