A Colony of Herons 

sion. But my heart was set on the heron that 
did not materialize, and the expedition was a 
failure. 
But the heron must be found, and a few weeks 
later I started again. A three-mile row diag- 
onally across the lake brings one to Dunham’s 
Bay, and thence my course lay along a creek 
the most peculiar I ever saw, winding in literal- 
ly serpentine folds for two miles, and rivalling 
the famed Meander for crookedness, For the 
last half mile the weeds almost choked the shal- 
low channel; and, as I laboriously approached 
the head of the creek, with only a flock of ducks 
to enliven the tedious journey, I felt that my 
patience was almost expended. At last, just as 
I was on the point of turning back in disgust, I 
saw a huge shadow pass over the ground before 
me, and, turning around, I discovered the ob- 
ject of my search, rising into the air, circling 
about, and finally alighting in atree. The thrill 
of a new discovery, following long and arduous 
effort, is one of thosé brief experiences of any- 
one who reconnoitres among the nooks of Nat- 
ure, that amply repay a long discouragement. 
The usual resorts of this heron, in summer, 
are commonly so inaccessible, that one will 
rarely, if ever, have an opportunity of observ- 
247 
