General Notes 99 



afternoon, but failed to find it. The next day I easily "rediscov- 

 ered" it, and found it to be as he said, — a male bird in high plum- 

 age of yellow, black and white. It was also present on the 20th. 

 The locality was' a dense growth of haw-thorns on a river flat, the 

 same constituting one local Robin and Grackle nest. The Grackle 

 was apparently feeding on the seeds of the dropped haw apples, 

 being flushed each time from 'the ground beneath the canopy of 

 boughs. Was very unafraid and would return after a short flght 

 to its original feeding place. 



E. A. DOOLITTLE. 



Painesville, Ohio. 



SOME OF OUR GREAT WADING BIRDS 



Our Lig wading birds of the marshes — the Cranes, Storks and 

 Herons — are the majestic birds that artists of the Orient have for 

 ages made so much of; the birds that American artists simulate 

 far more than any others for decorative effects. 



Some of these stand four or five feet high, wade in water two 

 feet deep, and measure seven to eight feet from tip to tip of wings. 

 The average person here sees one only occasionally, and then is 

 delightfully enthused at having had such an opportunity. They are 

 the aBSthetic bird of the world. 



The Big Blue Heron (there is a little Blue Heron) feed on 

 frogs, fish, crustaceans, lizards, salamanders, mice, etc. They have 

 a long, strong, sharp bill, and woe to anything in their line of 

 food that gets within their reach. 



This heron has been blacklisted by the Pennsylvania law — is 

 not protected at any season. I consider this an error in judgment-, 

 and hope those of our people who go out with a gun will regard 

 this bird in the same light I do. We can well afford to spare a 

 few fish and frogs for the privilege of occasionally seeing one of 

 these stately, magnificent fellows. They are unfit for food, and 

 why snuff out their lives? Why ignominiously make of them meat 

 for the maggots? 



Scientific investigation is constantly bringing to light new facts 

 regarding the food and habits of birds. As a consequence, some 

 that a few years ago were protected are now outcasts, and vice 

 versa. 



Injustice is often worked by organizations of sportsmen, who 

 insist on such laws as will bring most to their bag or creel, with 

 no consideration for the ideally beautiful in nature. This insisr- 

 ence is too often allowed to outweigh the views or wishes of the 

 masses, because but one side of the measure is pushed. The sport 

 these advocates crave for is all right, and to be encouraged, but not 



