going to rain. In flight the neck is bent backwards against the shoulders, and 

 their long legs are stretched out behind them, stiff and immovable. At Buzzard's 

 Roost a favorite place for them to alight is on the topmost limbs of a large 

 sycamore tree on the bank of Fall Creek in front of the cottage, and the color 

 of their bodies being much like the blue-gray color of the limbs of the tree, makes 

 it somewhat difficult to see them. Occasionally I have tracked them in the sand 

 on the banks of the stream. Long may they keep coming there, is the wish of 

 the owner of the place. They add a distinctive and interesting feature to its 

 landscape. 



The principal part of the food of this heron, as already stated, consists largely 

 of fish. He is also fond of crawfish, frogs, snakes and eels. Wilson says : "He 

 is also an excellent mouser, and of great service to our meadows in destroying 

 the short-tailed or meadow mouse, so injurious to the banks. He also feeds 

 eagerly on grasshoppers, various winged insects, particularly dragon flies, which 

 he is very expert at sticking, and also eats the seeds of that species of nymphse 

 usually called splatter dock, so abundant along our fresh water ponds and rivers." 

 As has already been said, he captures his food with his long and sharp bill. He 

 also uses his bill in defending himself against his enemies. My friend Dr. O. S. 

 Coffin tells me that in his practice he has had two patients, each of whom had 

 lost an eye by an attack of herons which had been disabled by them while they 

 were hunting. These were instances where the hunted in some measure got 

 even with those who hunted them. Perhaps if there were more such instances, 

 there would be less reckless killing of these useful and beautiful birds. 



It is interesting to watch them taking their food. One of the most beautiful 

 bird scenes that I have ever witnessed was that of five large white herons, ardca 

 egretta, thus engaged in Fall Creek. The water was clear, the day bright, and 

 the images of the birds were beautifully reflected in the water. They became 

 alarmed at my presence, took flight and flew up the stream, and as they flew, their 

 bodies continued to be reflected in the water, as beautifully as if the surface of 

 the water had been a mirror. 



The great blue heron can hardly be called a most useful bird, nor has he 

 any music to commend him, but he may be commended for what he does not do ; 

 he is an innocent and harmless creature, if left alone in his wild haunts. It is 

 his great, though simple, beauty that makes him valuable. The Japanese more 

 than any other people have appreciated this fact, and have availed themselves of 

 it in their decorative paintings. In an exhibition of Japanese art which it was 

 my privilege to attend I was impressed with the beauty of their bird drawings 

 and painting?, and especially with their beautiful soft blue and grayish tints. 



3(H 



