of the \v:irl)k'r"s nest later in the season would ha\e shown two little golil-hued 

 birds trying- their best to keep well tilled the maw of a young cow-bird whose 

 bulk was greater than that of ijoth foster-parents combined. The yellow warbler 

 apparently knows tliat the cow-bird's egg has no right in its nest. At times the 

 warbler will desert its home after the depositing of the alien egg. More often, 

 however, the patient little creature will hatch out the egg that has been foisted 

 upon it and will feed and tend the young cow-bird t(.i the sacrifice of its own 

 oftspring. 



On tiie river hank not far from the home of the yellow warbler we found 

 the half-comi>leted nest of a ])air of redstarts. We first saw the female with a 

 bit of downy stuff in her bill. She paid little heed to us and by watching her 

 movements we soon discovered her secret. The nest was a dainty little structure 

 placed about fifteen feet from the ground, close to the trunk of a small tree, 

 where it was held firmly in place by two slender, upward-growing twigs. 1 have 

 spoken elsewhere of the abundance of the redstarts in the Kankakee \'alley. 

 Both at Kouts and at English Lake I found them to be by far the most abiuidant 

 birds of the warbler fainily. No one need regret their abundance, for they are 

 useful in their lives and of a surjiassing beauty of plumage. 



When we had taken to our boat again and had diiftcd a mile with the 

 current of the stream, we turned to the shore once more and drew our little craft 

 up on a muddy bank that sejiarated the river from a great insweeping marsh, 

 guarded on all sides by big native trees. We left the boat and plowed our way 

 into the swamp. We caught a fleeting glimj^se of a Louisiana water-thrush as 

 we left the river bank ; a catliird gave one strain of his melody that ended in a 

 sharp "'mecni" as he discovered us. Two or three elusive sparrows dodged in and 

 out of the thicket at the edge of the marsh. The endeavor to identify a sparrow 

 under such circumstances is one of the trying things of life. I soon gave over 

 all thought of the sparrows, however, for my companion, knowing every bird- 

 haunt of this bird-favored country, was leading me straight to a feeding-ground 

 of the great blue herons. The svvainp broadened out, the timber giving way to 

 the right and left. Suddenly from the rank grass growth not more than thirty 

 yards ahead of us there rose a great bird that flapped its huge wings, stretched 

 out its great neck, and trailing its lanky legs behind, made straight for the sky- 

 line at the treetops. Only a few yards beyond another heron, surprised at its 

 breakfast table, left the well-furnished board reluctantly. One after another the 

 herons rose before our advancing footsteps. I felt a little conscience stricken at 

 having interrupted their feasting. \\'e retraced oiu- steps soon and before we 

 reached our boats the herons doubtless were back at their repast of frogs, slugs, 

 and delicate small fry, with which the marshes of the Kankakee River abound. 

 I never before had seen a wild great blue heron at such short range. In first 

 taking flight the bird is an awkward creature. It reminded me of nothing so 

 much as of a man who is in a hurry to catch a car, but has to stop to gather up 

 four or five bundles before starting to run. The heron's" bundles are its long 



474 



