NORTH AMERICAN MARSH BIRDS 111 



the bushes and uttered a harsh cry of alarm, which was repeated by the second 

 sentinel, who was posted so far up that I would not have seen him had he not 

 repeated the cry. • Immediatelj' four or five herons flew from the water between 

 me and the nearest sentinel, one of them having been but a few rods from me, 

 but invisible except from the water's edge. As they flew to the woods north of 

 the pond they uttered hoarse cries, and soon all had disappeared save the two 

 sentinels. 



Moving back and eastward I crept up to a clump of bushes about 5 feet in 

 height growing upon the very top of the bank. Lying close to the ground I kept 

 silent for some time. The bushes entirely hid me from the watchful sentinels 

 and they evidently supposed I had gone. Soon the one nearest me began to 

 utter low and peculiar cries which the upper sentinel quickly answered. This 

 style of conversation was kept up for several moments. This was shortly followed 

 by the return of all the fishers, one coming quite near my locality. As soon as 

 fishing had again gotten well under way I rose upon my feet. The instant my 

 head appeared above the bushes the nearest sentinel uttered the harsh cry of 

 alarm, immediately followed by the tumultuous flight of the fishers, most of which 

 had been invisible from my hiding place. 



The attitude of the great blue heron towards other species of herons 

 with which it is associated on its breeding grounds or its feeding 

 grounds is usually one of dignified indifference or haughty disdain. 

 It never seems to molest the smaller herons, but apparently picks an 

 occasional quarrel with other species. Dr. Charles W. Townsend 

 (1920) once saw "a fine adult great blue heron flying high in the air 

 pursued by a screaming common tern who darted at it from behind 

 and from above. The heron screamed hoarsely, stretched out and 

 around its long neck and partly dropped its legs. The feathers of its 

 head were erected. The tern attacked again and again and the scene 

 was repeated. It reminded one of an old hawking picture." 



Audubon (1840) says he has — 



seen the blue heron giving chase to a fish hawk, whilst the latter was pursuing its 

 way through the air towards a place where it could feed on the fish which it bore 

 in its talons. The heron soon overtook the hawk, and at the very first lounge 

 made l)y it, the latter dropped its quarry, when the heron sailed slowly towards 

 the ground, where it no doubt found the fish. On one occasion of this kind, the 

 hawk dropped the fish in the water, when the heron, as if vexed that it was lost 

 to him, continued to harass the hawk, and forced it into the woods. 



Enemies. — There are very few birds or animals that dare to attack 

 such a large and formidable antagonist as an adult great blue heron, 

 for it is a courageous bird, armed with a powerful sharp bill that can in- 

 flict serious wounds. Even men must approach it with caution, when 

 it is wounded and at bay. But great damage is done to the eggs, and 

 probably also to the very young birds, by crows, ravens, vultures, and 

 probably gulls. Once on Bradbury Island, referred to above, we 

 flushed a heron from its nest and, on returning to it a few moments 

 later, we found three eggs on the ground under it, which had evidently 

 just been broken and sucked by a pair of ravens that were flying 

 around and croaking. Crows and ravens often live in or near the 



