THE OOLOGIST. 



187 



make extended trips to satisfy their 

 ravenous appetites, and fly as far as 

 50 miles or more to feeding grounds, 

 because the immediate neighborhood 

 cannot supply them with nourishment. 

 When returning from their forag- 

 ing trips, they utter a loud croaking, 

 also when disturbed in the Heronry, 

 they fly restlessly overhead and croak 

 their disapproval to the intruders. 



The nests are large bulky affairs, 

 three to four feet wide and accord- 

 ing to long occupancy, from twelve to 

 eighteen inches thick, adding to them 

 every season, constructed of stout 

 twigs, lined with bark strips, invaria- 

 bly in the highest elms, as high as 

 100 or 120 feet. 



Such a nest would be an interest 

 ing object in the collection of an en- 

 thusiastic Oologist. 



About the middle of April every- 

 thing is in good shape for the future 

 family. In our Books on Birds, it 

 is claimed that they lay from 3 to 4 

 eggs, which does not tally with our 

 experience. We found mostly sets 

 of five and several of 6 eggs — all of a 

 handsome light green color, although 

 we have a set of four eggs in our col- 

 lection of a perfect white color. 



It is no easy task to climb these 

 trees, which are very often from 80 

 to 120 feet high, and more than 3 feet 

 in diameter with a rough 1 1-2 inch 

 thick bark, where the spurs of climb- 

 ing irons can hardly find a footing. 

 After hard work, getting up about 50 

 feet, the bark gets thinner and 

 smoother, and here the progress is 

 easier. 



It is no pleasant undertaking to 

 climb these high elms and place the 

 camera at least ten feet higher than 

 the nest in order to get a good pic- 

 ture. It can be easily seen that some 

 of those high branches are dry and 

 with the additional weight of the 

 climber and camera, easily break. 



When below the nests, the 

 slightest disturbance brings a shower 

 of chalky excrement over you, and, 

 if any of that stuff gets in your eyes, 

 a heap of rubbing is necessary to re- 

 move it. 



Long before this the female Heron 

 has left the nest and flies in wide cir- 

 cles over the top of the woods, joined 

 by its mate, croaking defiance to the 

 intruder. 



When about 10 feet higher than the 

 nest, a strong cord is let down for 

 the camera. A suitable place is now 

 picked out, camera adjusted and some 

 exposures are made. In some cases 

 it is more difficult to come down again 

 than it was to climb up, but to be re- 

 Warded with a good picture, repays 

 for all the trouble. 



The first two pictures were taken 

 April 29th. About a month later we 

 pairl the heronry another visit but 

 did not attempt to climb the tall elms. 

 June 24th, about two months later 

 than our first visit, we found every- 

 thing in good condition. The young 

 were almost fully developed. They 

 generally are able to leave the nest 

 the first week in July. It was quite 

 difficult to take good pictures, the fol- 

 iage being very thick by this time. 

 But we finally succeeded. After tak- 

 ing the third picture we managed to 

 get one set cf young out of the nest. 

 It was a difficult piece of work, as 

 they clung tenaciously to every 

 branch within their reach. The fourth 

 picture shows the result of hard work 

 and the fifth picture is that of the 

 young heron. 



They are exceedingly difficult and 

 dangerous to handle, striking with 

 their sharp bill at the eyes of its cap- 

 tor. We concluded to bring two of 

 them to Buffalo alive, which are now 

 objects of curiosity to the visitors at 

 the Zoo in the Park. 



Mostly all of the Zoos in the United 



