THIRD WEEK IN -APRIL 35 
too a vast army of microscopical organisms, 
the beneficent species of microbes, are doing 
their silent and unseen work. Finally the 
framework of what was once a beautiful 
living animal or bird is bleached white and 
left quite pure and sweet by the rays of the 
sun. After a long time even these bones 
disintegrate into powder and finally gases, 
and so the ‘ dust returns to dust.’) I photo- 
graphed two of the largest of the nests which 
the keeper said he had known 7 the same tree 
for twenty years (Plate IV). The nests built 
by the younger birds could be distinguished, 
I thought, by their much smaller size and 
lesser solidity. Indeed, it was from them 
that the fledglings we had found on the 
ground seemed to have fallen, for in each case 
they were directly under such nests. The 
eggs are four or five in number, and (as before 
mentioned) of a pretty sea-green colour, with- 
out spots. They are just two inches in length. 
Two broods are reared yearly. In qutet 
repose the neck of the heron is bent with the 
head kept back. In fizght the head is well 
