198 A GREAT BLUE HERON. 
found a few sandpipers and plovers. Near 
one end of the perfectly level, sand-covered 
meadow was a little pool, and my first 
glance in that direction showed me a great 
blue heron wading about its edge. With 
as much quietness as possible I stole out of 
sight, and then hastened up the railway 
through a cut, till I had the sun at my back 
and a hill between me and the bird. Then 
I began a stealthy approach, keeping behind 
one object after another, and finally going 
down flat upon the ground (to roll in the 
soil is an excellent method of cleansing 
one’s garments on Cape Cod) and crawling 
up to a patch of bayberry bushes, the last 
practicable cover. 
Here let me say that the great blue heron 
is, as its name implies, a big bird, stand- 
ing almost as high as an ordinary man, and 
spreading its wings for nearly or quite six 
feet. Its character for suspiciousness may 
be gathered from what different writers have 
said about it. ‘He is most jealously vigi- 
lant and watchful of man,” says Wilson, 
“so that those who wish to succeed in shoot- 
ing the heron must approach him entirely 
unseen, and by stratagem.” ‘ Extremely 
